Whims of Fate
by Azure4
Summary: Meet Hitomi: Fifteen year old war-princess from Fanelia. What things would be like if Hitomi and Van’s lives were switched. V/H, R&R! Rated PG-13 for language and other stuff ^^ *CHAPTER 12 FINALLY UP!!!!!!!*
1. Angry Queens Make Scary Threats

A/N: Yay!!!! Everyone loved my story! I got.. *counts on fingers* five reviews in my first day! Thank you, I love you all *sob sob* T.T I feel loved! So, anyway, I'm going to reply to the reviews at the end of the chapter in case even more people love me and send me even more reviews! *smile smile* er. shutting up now.  
  
Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I do not own Escaflowne. I own this story, and a PS2, Kingdom Hearts(game), FF8 and FFX(the games), a cat and the word squee, which was custom made and fitted for me by one of my slaves. No, really, it was!  
  
TWO  
  
"Wait. explain this to me again. I'm on another planet? And you're all aliens? And you have these giant swordy-robot things called goomellifs? Rewind, freeze! I'm lost! How come you can see the Earth, but the Earth can't see you? And for that matter, how do you live without tv???" Asked Van, pacing around and then falling into a chair.  
  
"Alright, I'll say it again," growled Hitomi. "Yes, you are on another planet. We are not aliens, we are human beings."  
  
"Except for the queen here," growled a little pink thing that had glomped Hitomi and hissed at Van upon their entrance to the castle. Van thought it was a cat-girl, but saying this out loud had earned him several deep scratches, which were still very bloody and sore.  
  
"Shut up," said Hitomi, clamping her hand over the cat's mouth. "Anyway, the robots are called Guymelefs. We use them to fight. As for being able to see the "Earth," as you called it, I don't know. I suppose it's an enchantment from the Draconians," she said, smacking the cat on the head when it bit her.  
  
"The queen knows all about Draconians," said the cat slyly.  
  
"Shut UP Merle!" hissed Hitomi again, using her hand to hold the cat girl's (or, as Van supposed, Merle's) mouth shut. "Can't you keep your fat trap shut for a minute?"  
  
"Mrrrrroooowwwwwww," said Merle. This entire discussion was giving Van even more of a headache, so he tipped back his chair, and promptly fell over.  
  
"Ha ha!" exclaimed Merle, pointing at Van and laughing.  
  
"Merle, it's rude to laugh at our guest," said Hitomi in a warning tone.  
  
"So?" asked Merle innocently. "He's funny!"  
  
"Shut up," grumbled Van, getting grumpily to his feet. "So, let me get this straight. I'm on Gaia, not earth. I am a guest in the palace of the most bit- I mean, beautiful queen. You use robots called Guymelefs to kill each other. The cats here talk. That's all great, but how do I get home?"  
  
"I don't know," said Hitomi, becoming serious and quiet and sitting down on the table, absently swinging her legs. "Because I am responsible for this, I will stop at nothing to get you back to earth. You'll return to your home- I promise."  
  
"You know, you could just FLY him back," said Merle, ceasing licking her paw to look up at Hitomi with a steely glint in her eye. "It probably would be no problem for-"  
  
"SHUT IT MERLE!" Yelled Hitomi, pouncing on the cat.  
  
"You can fly?" asked Van in awe. Hitomi looked up from where she had Merle in a head lock, and tittered.  
  
"It's. uh.. My Gumelef. Escaflowne! Yes, my Guymelef, Escaflowne, can fly, so Merle is proposing that I take you back to the mystic moon in my Guymelef, Escaflowne. Which can fly. Heh heh heh." There was a quick and suprising shift from the cocky Hitomi to the slightly alarmed, not quite so assured, nervously laughing Hitomi.  
  
"Um, okay," said Van, giving both Hitomi and Merle (who quite seemed to be enjoying the young monarch's sudden change in attitude) odd looks. Someone knocked on the door. Hitomi stood off, brushed the fur off of her clothes, and called out "come in!"  
  
"Highness," said a tall, heavyset man, walking into the room and bowing low.  
  
"Balgus," greeted Hitomi. Balgus straightened up and walked over to Hitomi.  
  
"It is time for your coronation," he said, glancing strangely at Van. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Oh, Lady Hitomi, you're going to look soooo beautiful," squeed Merle, stars twinkling in her eyes. "I promise I won't scratch up your dress! You'll be so pretty and."  
  
"I will wear the traditional coronation outfit," said Hitomi, still looking up at Balgus.  
  
"But Hitoooommmmiiiii. that's GUY's clothes," protested Merle, only to have a foot shoved in her face.  
  
"Yes, your majesty," said Balgus, leading Hitomi out of the room.  
  
"Woah, wait, what about me?" Van asked Merle.  
  
"How should I know?" she growled, her fur standing on end. "Just follow me, and DON'T GET INTO TROUBLE!" she snapped. Van gulped and moved away from the vase he was about to inspect.  
  
"Um, okay, Miss Merle," he said, following the pink-and orange menace out the door and down the corridor.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Look at the queen." Whispers echoed through the crowd lined around where Hitomi's coronation ceremony was taking place. "Only she could look so fabulous in a man's coronation suit." Van had been inclined to laugh at Hitomi's ridiculous costume, but he knew that the young queen would not hesitate in slaughtering him- or at least, causing him a great deal of excruciation. Hitomi made her way through a large gate, which clanged shut after her entrance. The townsfolk lined up outside it dispersed, with much praise for the king Of course, Merle was within the gate with the monarch, along with her new favorite scratching post, Van. Van tried to ignore the frequent, digging pains in his legs (and arms, and torso.) and instead concentrated on the coronation ceremony. Van didn't understand a lot of what was said (it was in odd old lingo), but still appreciated the beauty and care with which the ceremony was performed. It had almost end, when a loud crash resonated through the city.  
  
"What the.." Van stammered as he saw buildings crushed and burned.  
  
"Highness," said Balgus, "take Escaflowne and go! Do not stay and fight. You need to protect yourself and your guest!" he roared over the noise, pushing Hitomi.  
  
"But Balgus!" Hitomi called, but her guardian was gone and she was left alone with Van and Merle.  
  
"Merle, head for the hills," Hitomi said, pointing at a nearby mountain. "I will meet up with you later."  
  
"But Lady Hitomi," she mewled, "what about you?"  
  
"I'm going to stay and fight," she said. Van shook his head. Hadn't that Booger or Balgus or whatever just said that she should flee. Merle mewed a sad goodbye, and then dashed off.  
  
"Come on, Van," said Hitomi, grabbing the boy by the wrist and dragging him towards one of the large hills that surrounded the city. She dragged him up step after step- even being in track didn't help make the run easier- and finally, into a large shrine, where she ripped off her coronation outfit.  
  
"Ack!" yelled Van, covering his eyes.  
  
"Enough," she said, and Van peeked through his fingers. She was wearing those weird clothes again. Oh.  
  
Hitomi had walked into the center of an odd looking spiral. She held out the dragon-heart she had retrieved on earth, and pricked her finger on the end of her sword. She let her blood drip into the energist, and murmured almost inaudibly:  
  
"Escaflowne, I bind you to me with my blood until the day I am no longer queen." Quite suddenly, it seemed as though the world was shaking. Van watched in awe as a giant robot fell from an encasement in the ceiling. Kneeling at Hitomi's feet.  
  
"Holy shit," he muttered, his jaw hanging open. Hitomi reached into the giant, red, crystal on the left side of the Guymelefs chest, and pushed in the energist like the crystal was made of jelly. She pulled her hand out, and the crystal hardened. Hitomi leapt up into the cockpit of the Guymelef and a protective armor came down, shielding her body.  
  
"Ready?" she asked Van, crouching down so that he could hop onto her shoulder.  
  
"No, but what the hell," he said, clambering up on to the slick shoulder of the robot.  
  
"Here we go," said Hitomi, and the Guymelef raised itself up, up, up. Van closed his eyes and tried not to think about what would happen if he fell off, but sensed a presence behind him.  
  
"Hitomi!" he called out. "Behind us!" Escaflowne whirled around and raised it's sword- just in time to prevent a blow from an invisible attacker.  
  
"Oh god oh god oh god," said Van under his breath as Escaflowne engaged in a dance of death- with Van very, very close to the head.  
  
"Let's just get out of here, dammit!" Van yelled down to Hitomi, clinging to the cold, sleek metal of the Guymelef.  
  
"No! I must protect my country!" said Hitomi as Van pointed out another attacker.  
  
"That's well and good- to the left!- for you, but there's two slight problems," Van yelled back. "One: Thanks to these guys, there's not even really a country to protect. And, two," he yelled, "How can you protect it if you're dead? It's pointless- Right!- to fight these guys because we can't see them! Hitomi, we can't win! Let's just get the hell outta here! Shit!" At that exact moment, the shrine caught on fire, turning into a blazing inferno in seconds. "I HATE FIRE!!!!" he exclaimed, squirming uncomfortably as the metal of the Guymelef began to heat up. "Let's GO dammit!!!!" he yelled. Hitomi seemed to have finally got the message- or maybe that was because twenty more Guymelefs stormed in. Escaflowne rocketed upward, and with a clinking and clanging of metal, turned into a large dragon, Van sitting just behind Hitomi, who was at the controls.  
  
"Thanks for finally getting us out of there. We would have only been slaughtered, chopped into a million pieces, roasted and turned into stew if we stayed," said Van. "Might I add that-"  
  
"Van," said Hitomi, not bothering to look back at him, "Shut up. I'm trying to drive." Van shut up, seeing as Hitomi seemed to be in no mood for mindless bickering. Over Gaia Escaflowne soared, a mighty white dragon in a black, starry sky. Van watched over the edge of Escaflowne all the countryside, forests, rivers, that passed by. He soon grew very tired and passed out, just hoping that he wouldn't land on Hitomi, who seemed to be slightly on the grumpy side.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Hey! Van! Wake up!" Hitomi shook Van's shoulder, hissing at him. "We're here." Groggily, Van opened one eye, first noticing that he was sprawled in a very awkward position on Escaflowne's shoulder, second noticing that Hitomi was in a much better mood, and thirdly taking note that they had landed in a large forest.  
  
"Wow, look at all the trees. I didn't know that this many trees even existed. Woo," he said sleepily, and immediately fell back asleep.  
  
"Van, wake up or I'll slice off your head," said Hitomi. Van woke up.  
  
"Y-yes ma'am. So, where are we?"  
  
"In a forest, on the outskirts of Austaria."  
  
"Austria? Isn't that somewhere below India? No, that'd be Australia. Austria is in Africa, or maybe Europe, hell I don't know. Hey! Are we on Earth now?" Van jabbered, noticing that the forest was very dark and spooky and that Hitomi was getting up and walking away.  
  
"No. We're in Austaria. Neighbor country of Fanelia, and an ally. I'm going to seek refuge for us from some of the locals, get help, and return to Fanelia to slaughter Zaibach."  
  
"I thought those were Guymelefs," said Van confusedly, hopping down from Escaflowne, landing in an odd position, and wincing.  
  
"They were Guymelefs. Guymelefs sent by the Zaibach Empire."  
  
"Oh," said Van, following Hitomi through the woods. "Hey, uh Hitomi." he said, noticing a dark shadow following them.  
  
"Shut it."  
  
"But, Hitomi."  
  
"I said, Shut it."  
  
"But, I think there's someone following us."  
  
"Yes, there is. Now shut up."  
  
"But."  
  
"Argh! That's it! Van, if I have to tell you to shut up one more time, I'll gouge your eyes out. As for whatever is following us, there is absolutely nothing that we can do about them until they choose to show themselves. You got it?" Hitomi was glaring fiercely at Van, and Van's suspicions were confirmed. Hitomi had Gaia's biggest case of PMS anywhere.  
  
"Yes, your highness," he meeped meekly.  
  
"Good. Escaflowne will be fine by itself, so we don't have to worry about that. Only I can operate it. So, the question is, how to get out of this forest."  
  
"I can help!" Whoever it was that was following them stepped forward.  
  
"Uh. Hitomi? What is that?" Van whispered. Hitomi shrugged.  
  
"Who are you and what services do you offer?" she asked him, eyeing him warily. He looked to be a giant, overgrown, Mole-made-human, with glasses that shone dully in the light from the two moons above.  
  
"Just call me Mister Mole. I can get you anywhere, for a price."  
  
"Name it," said Hitomi. Mister Mole eyed up the young queen, and then Van, and suddenly lunged at the young monarch. They began to roll on the ground. Under normal circumstances, Van's perverted mind would have kicked in right here, but since he had wound up on Gaia, nothing was normal. Van looked desperately around, and saw where Hitomi had dropped her sword. He pulled it out of it's sheaf, and pointed it straight at the Mole.  
  
"Get off her, now," Van said, his voice dangerously low. "Get off and I might spare you." Though Van did, indeed, know nothing about swords, he held it the way he had once seen in Monty Python, trying his best to act as intimidating as possible. It seemed to be working, though, as Mister Mole slowly got up off of Hitomi. The queen got up, and Van tossed her her sword.  
  
"Show me how to get to Austaria. What I will give you is the option to continue living. I should kill you for the unprovoked attack on the ruling monarch of Faneila, but as it seems I have a slight advantage," said Hitomi with a twisted smirk, "you will lead me to the nearest city, and I will spare you."  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, sorry, sorry! I just saw your pretty pendant and."  
  
"It does not matter what you did or did not see. What matters is that I will kill you unless you show me the way."  
  
"You heard her, Mole dude," Said Van, glowering at the short little mole man. "Show us to the nearest city and you get to keep your head."  
  
"Van, I really don't need your help," said Hitomi. Mister Mole shot Van an odd glance, but began to lead the way through the forest.  
  
'Ooh, I hope this isn't a trap," thought Van to himself as they walked through the forest. Quite suddenly, He and Hitomi toppled into a well disguised pit.  
  
"Shit."  
  
A/N: Well? How is it? ^____^ I had a bit of writers block, in case you couldn't tell .; eh heh, anywhoo.  
  
THANKYOU TO ALL OF MY LOVLEY REVIEWERS!!!  
  
pogo the kosher penguin: Uhh, thanks. I think o_O;;  
  
Dariel: ^__^ yes, thank you, very happy. I'm planning on following the original story line. sort of. Actually, I think I'm going to have lots of fun twisting things up and making messes! It's what I do best! I'll try and update as much as possible. Thanks!  
  
Lydiby: yes ma'am! ^^  
  
Mirakai no tenshi neko-jin: YAAAYYYYYYY! I'M GLAD YOU LIKE MIRAKAI NO TENSHI NEKO-JIN!!!!! ^^ heh  
  
LOVE WITCH: Thanks. I know, it is brilliant, isn't it! LOL just kidding ^__^  
  
Ruby: Thanks, they will. But not without a few messy twists. And I agree about the series ending. Thanks a ton for your review!  
  
SJ: YESIREE! *salute*  
  
A final note from the author: HELP-ISH! I NEED A BETA READER REALLY, REALLY, REALLY BAD! -.-;;; I make typos and sometimes my stories aren't happy because they're hard to read. ANYONE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BETA REDER EMAIL ME SAYING SO! If I get no beta reader people, I will be sad. And if I'm sad, then the story goes down the toilet. So, beta! ^____^ Thanx, luv ya all!  
  
~Azure  
  
PS Dilandu loves flames. I'm not Dilandu. I like catching things on fire, as long as it isn't in my story. You send flames, I light random things in the story on fire. JUST A WARNING! 


	2. Dragons, Blood, and Angry Princesses

Whims of Fate By: Azure  
  
A/N: This is my first Esca-fic, please take into consideration my ability to write is level Zero. Don't forget to review- constructive criticism, flames, whatever. Also, the beginning is a little different than it is in the series, just because I'm lazy an don't feel like going through all the trouble to watch it over and copy it line for line, tee hee!!! Also, everyone's slightly out of character, though I tried to adapt Van the best I could since he's the only one we can keep. relatively normal. Ah! Enough of my mindless rambling. Enjoy my tale of insanity.  
  
Disclaimer: I own Escaflowne. I own the world. I wish.  
  
Summary: Meet Hitomi: Fifteen year old war-princess from Fanelia. What things would be like if Hitomi and Van's lives were switched. V/H, R&R! Rated PG-13 for language and room to grow ;o)  
  
ONE  
  
A girl of fifteen stood, studying the swords mounted precariously on the wall in front of her. Her long, dirty blond hair, which hung past her shoulder blades, was braided elegantly over her right shoulder. Her emerald green eyes burned alight with a fire of war, and a tall, heavyset man walked up to her as she inspected the many blades in front of her.  
  
"Highness," he said. The girl- or princess, as was identifiable by her gold, jewel studded tiara that circled her head, smiled up at the samurai.  
  
"Balgus," she greeted him back. Balgus, the samurai, handed the princess a large sword, which she buckled gratefully around her waist.  
  
"Do not fail. Do not forget what happened to your brother, Princess Hitomi," said Balgus in a warning tone.  
  
"I will not run away," said Hitomi, visibly stiffening. "I will succeed where he failed." The princess fingered the sword hanging at her hip. "I will become the queen."  
  
"Excellent," said Balgus, ushering Hitomi towards a suit of neatly polished armor that leant against one of the walls. "We must prepare you for battle."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van reclined on his bed with his arms behind his head, staring up at his ceiling, dotted with sports poster. He was wearing his favorite pair of old, worn out blue jeans, a ret tee shirt, and a "Yankees" baseball cap, which was also faded.  
  
"Dammit, I'm bored," he muttered, Idly picking up a rubber ball from his bedside table and bouncing it off the wall repeatedly. One, two, three.  
  
"Van Fanel!" shrieked his mother from downstairs. "Stop that this instant!"  
  
. ten, eleven, twelve.  
  
"Van! If I have to tell you again you're grounded until you're eighty! Did you hear me, young man?"  
  
.twenty, twenty one.  
  
"Fine, mom," called Van, putting the ball down on his bedside table. Grumpily, he stood up and grabbed his track bag, yanking his baseball cap over his eyes. He walked downstairs and past his mother, who was in the kitchen.  
  
"Where the hell are you going?" she demanded, shaking a spatula* at him.  
  
"Track practice," grunted Van.  
  
"I'm serving dinner in twenty minutes. You'd better be back by then, or I'm sure as hell not feeding you again tonight."  
  
"Right. Twenty minutes. I'll be back," said Van as he grabbed his coat and slammed out the front door, his mother's shrieks following him up the path.  
  
"Bitch," he muttered, pulling on his coat and turning the corner. He walked to his school, hands in his pockets, trying to think of new ways to blow something up. It was Van's hobby to blow things up with his friend, Yukari. Even though Yukari was a girl, she was ever willing to play the goriest new video games or blow something up in the school science lab. Though other guys teased Van and asked if he ever got lucky with Yukari, they knew that there was nothing there. And, whenever Yukari was present, she would usually punch the lights out of the querent. Ah, good old Yukari.  
  
After forever and yet no time at all of walking, Van reached his school. In the light of the setting sun it looked more like a foreboding facility of torture than anything else- though that was possibly because it WAS a facility of torture. Once, in History, when Van and Yukari had been learning about cruel and unusual punishment, they had pointed out that they had to come to school every day and have their brains filled with crap and washed repeatedly. The teachers never thought their jokes were funny. Oddly enough, neither did the principal.  
  
"Van!" Yukari called from the bleachers by the track. "Over here!" Van slouched over to where his friend was sitting, watching his peers and fellow teammates run.  
  
"Oh, isn't captain Amono the greatest?" she sighed dreamily, her eyes glazing over as she gazed at the captain of the team.  
  
"Seems full of bull to me," said Van, leaning against the seat above him and watching his captain run.  
  
"That's only because you're a guy," said Yukari, administering a smack to the back of Van's head.  
  
"So? You eye him like a piece of meat," said Van, glaring at Yukari, who was watching Amono run with one of the most disgusting, dreamy expressions Van had ever seen.  
  
"Shut up," snapped Yukari. "Besides, you're running up next. Hurry up and get out there," she said, pushing him off the bleachers and towards the locker room.  
  
"Fine," grumbled Van. "The things I do for you, Yukari. You're the one who convinced me to join this stupid team in the first place."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi drew her sword, stealthily creeping to the lair of the dragon. The crest of Fanelia flashed out in the light of the setting sun, and the two moons visible overhead provided small illumination. Hitomi knelt behind a tree, adjusting her gauntlet and armor, looking at her prey.  
  
"Now or never," she mumbled, glaring at the sleeping dragon in front of her. With a great battle cry, she ran forward, thrusting her sword into the Dragon and causing it to awaken.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van saw Hitomi quite suddenly appear out of nowhere in the track in front of him. He tried to stop running, but his momentum kept him going. He crashed right into her- and went through her. Her image ripped apart in his wake, scattering.  
  
"Fuck!" Yelled Van, screeching to a halt.  
  
"Van? What's wrong?" asked Yukari from the stands.  
  
"This is freaky. Like something off the Sci-fi channel or something," he murmured, putting one hand to his forehead and sinking to a crouch on the ground.  
  
"Van? What's wrong?" Asked Yukari for the second time, running over to him, along with Amono the pompous jerk.  
  
"I'm just a little dehydrated," he said, hearing how lame his excuse was. "I'm gonna get some water, and then we can do the run again," he said. Yukari and Amono both gave him a strange look, but he ignored them and made his way over to a water fountain on one end of the bleachers. He splashed his face with water, and shook off the tiny droplets, sending them flying through the air in a watery sheen.  
  
"Okay! Let's try that again," called Amono. Van took in a deep whoosh of air and walked over to the starting blocks. He crouched low and pulled back, his muscles acting like a tightened spring.  
  
"Ready. Go!" Van flew off the starting block and dashed down the track, counting the seconds in his head. Suddenly, a pillar of blue-white light shot down from the heavens in front of Van. He saw the girl again, but knew it was just an illusion this time. He kept running until.  
  
WHAM! He collided right with the girl, who seemed very pissed at this,  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled hoarsely at Van, the pillar of light disappearing. "There's a land dragon coming!"  
  
"Land dragon? Listen, Lady, there isn't such thing as a dragon," said Van, struggling to his feet with the help of Yukari and Amono, both of whom were gawking at the mysterious girl.  
  
"Get out of here! Get." she stopped and listened for a moment. "Go! Run. It's coming," she said, drawing her sword and gripping it tightly in both hands. Van gawked.  
  
"What kind of idiot are you? Run! All of you!" she said. And suddenly, a hole opened in the air and the most hideous, disgusting thing that Van had ever seen came out- with wide, crazed eyes and saliva dripping from its open jaws.  
  
"Go!" yelled the girl one more time, giving Van a push. She then turned to the Dragon, which had set it's sights on Van, Yukari, and Amono.  
  
"Hey! I'm over here!" she yelled at it, slashing at it with her sword. The dragon ignored her, and instead made a lunge for Yukari- who let out a scream. Suddenly, the trance was broken. Van grabbed Yukari by the wrist, Amono grabbed her other wrist, and they dashed away from the track and up a nearby hill, towards an ancient shrine. They ran up the steps, legs pumping with adrenaline, until they finally stopped at the top of the hill.  
  
"We. should. be.. Safe. here." panted Amono, doubling over. Yukari was still in shock.  
  
"What was that thing?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know," replied Van, clutching his track bag which he had magically been able to grab. "I think she said it was a- DRAGON!" he yelled as the hideous beast came soaring up the hillside, stalking it's prey. And there was the girl running after it and yelling at it. Without another thought, Amono, Yukari, and Van hid in the nearby trees. The dragon landed, looking around for its prey. Quite suddenly, the girl lunged at the dragon and embedded her sword in its side. The dragon gave an angry yell, lunging at the girl- who was most obviously a warrior, and tried to bite. The girl deftly dodged it, and dealt the dragon another blow- this time through one of the filmy membranes on its chest. It let out a roar and reared up into the air. The warrior girl took her chance and split the dragon from head to toe. Nasty blue green blood spurted erratically from every wound, and the dragon gave yet another yell before it collapsed on the ground in front of the girl. The warrior seemed relieved, and the dragon was apparently dead. But Van saw the tail lunge into the air, and the jagged end embedded in the girl's body.  
  
"Watch out for the tail!" he yelled suddenly. The girl looked, up, alarmed, as the dragon's tail came flying through the air. She quickly dodged it and split the tail as well. The beast gave a piteous, final moan, and died. The girl wiped off her brow and dropped her sword at her feet. She walked over to the hole she had split in the filmy membrane pouch of the dragon's chest and thrust her arm in. Next to him, Van could feel Yukari give a shudder of disgust. The warrior girl dug through the membrane, and then finally emerged with her hand around a round sphere, her arm covered in blue green blood up to her elbow. The dragon began to fade, and the blood covering the girl and the ground disappeared.  
  
"I have completed the rite of dragonslaying," Van heard the girl mutter to herself, smiling at the little round ball in her hand. Van thought it was quite disgusting (for the thing was most obviously the Dragon's heart), but said only, "Who are you?"  
  
"Princess Hitomi of Fanelia, of course," she said, giving Van an icy emerald look. "Where am I?"  
  
"Earth," said Yukari, obviously puzzled at the girl's behavior. Indeed, she was a strange girl. She was wearing black leather pants and an emerald tunic. A black corset circled the middle of the tunic, laced and belted to expose the girl's amazing figure. The top of the tunic was lazily unlaced, exposing a pink stone pendant.  
  
"Earth? I've never head of Earth before. Is it a new country?" asked Hitomi, looking curiously at Yukari. "Foolish peasant. Must be confused." Van angrily stepped forward, clutching his bag.  
  
"Look. There's no such place as Fanelia. And I don't know who you think you are, but." Van quickly went quiet as the girl picked up the sword at her feet.  
  
"Tell me, peasant," she said in a dangerously low growl. "Look at this sword- but do not touch, or I will be forced to kill you. How old does this sword look to you?" Van inspected the blade- perfect and polished, but obviously old.  
  
"Hundreds of years," he gulped. Hitomi's eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
"Thousands. And do you see this insignia? It is the symbol of the country of Fanelia, peasant." Sure enough, there was crest that was unmistakably royal on the hilt of the sword. Van gulped again as the princess glared at him.  
  
"I suppose you want a reward for saving me?" She asked lazily, sheathing her sword. "You may come back to my castle with me if you wish, but I'll not do more than that for you." She lazily stretched.  
  
"What the hell?" Asked Van in alarm as a shaft of Blue white light appeared from the heavens.  
  
"Van!" Yelled Yukari, running forwards, as Van was pulled upwards by the shaft of light. "What's happening?" She ran into the center of the shaft, looking upwards, until the light disappeared, Van and Hitomi with it.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"What the hell?!" exclaimed Van again as he landed in the middle of a grassy meadow. He stared up at the sky, where the earth and moon were plainly visible.  
  
"Where the hell am I?" he gulped nervously, now clinging to his track bag. The princess looked around lazily, without the slightest bit of alarm.  
  
"You're on Gaia."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*: .~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: Well? Whaddaya think? The more you review and make me happy, the faster I'll work. No reviews means no updates. And we all love this story. don't we? Oh well. Go ahead and click the button and review. Joy!  
  
Completed 1/4/03- 21:40 hours (9:40 P.M.) 


	3. Beware Swinging Metal Doors

A/N: Okay, Chapter three. Go Azure! Scholarly crap is a pain. I harbor a great dislike for school at the moment. anywhoo. I'm going to go ahead and get this chapter started, and then after I write Three pages I'll go do my homework and study for all the quizzes/tests/ excruciating crap I have to teal with tomorrow. Arg.  
  
Last little rant- my sis' comp has this really cool programming thing/ image maker. I made a layout for a happy website, but since my sister is a comp hog. I'm not allowed to play. AAAAAHHHH! It was a really really cool layout, too. As soon as I get it finished in six weeks or so (*more info, see bio) I'll give everyone the URL, so that you can come see what a genius I wish I am. Ahem. ONWARD!  
  
Disclaimer: I have captured Orlando Bloom and he now lives in my closet. I don't own Escaflowne, but I do own Legolas' sexy elf ass (soon to be a fic ^^) and a "F" in Geography. Arg.  
  
THREE  
  
"Well well well, what have we here?" Van groggily awoke to see a man standing over Hitomi, who was sitting on the ground next to him. "Who in Gaia would posses beauty such as yours?"  
  
"Uhng?" asked Van, groggily sitting up and looking to Hitomi, who was sitting with a straight back. The first thing he noticed was the anger brimming in her eyes. The second thing was that the strange man had her sword.  
  
"I didn't know it was a tradition of the knights to rape a defenseless woman found unconscious in a forest," said Hitomi coolly, glaring at the stranger, who was so masked in shadow that Van couldn't make out the stranger's facial features.  
  
"You weren't defenseless. And we're not going to rape you," said the man, "as long as you tell us your name and business."  
  
"Very well, Mister Schezar," said Hitomi with a sigh. "I am Kanzaki Hitomi, queen of Fanelia. This is Van Fanel, my guest from the mystic moon."  
  
"Fanel, huh? Mystic moon?"  
  
"Odd coincidence." Hitomi was tight lipped with suppressed fury.  
  
"Very well, Kanzaki. I will lead you to the base, but you may not have your sword, or your Guymelef." Van knew that Hitomi would start a fight over this, so quickly grabbed her upper arm before she could so something brash- like hit the knight-dude over the head with her bony fist.  
  
"Cool it. The sooner we get out of this creepy forest, the better," he whispered to her. Reluctantly, she dropped her fist.  
  
"Fine," she spat out, following the retreating stranger through the brush. They walked in silence- Hitomi several feet behind "Schezar" man and Van just behind Hitomi.  
  
"Hey, Hitomi?" Van asked the queen, poking her in the small of her back.  
  
"What?" she asked as she slowed down enough so that she and Van were walking side by side.  
  
"Well, you see. who the hell is this guy? I don't trust him." Hitomi heaved a great sigh, obviously considering how to answer.  
  
"His name is Allen Schezar. He is one of the great knights of Gaia. He is. was. the second best swordsman in the country. Superior to him and him only was Balgus. But, Balgus." Hitomi stopped. Van wasn't sure, but her voice sounded slightly more choked when she spoke again.  
  
"It is no concern of yours. We are only trying to get you back to where you belong. You do not need to worry about Allen." Van wondered at how she used his name with almost. familiarity, but shrugged it off.  
  
"Uh, hey, Hitomi? One other thing? Could you get me sword lessons from someone so that you don't have to watch over me like an infant? I don't want to be more of a burden than I already am." Van let his sentence fall, looking hopefully at Hitomi, who was focused straight ahead.  
  
"Very well. I detest those who make no effort to defend themselves. I will see if our host will be so kind as to teach you how to play with death." At this, the conversation was apparently over, and Hitomi walked ahead once more, following the shadowy outline of the knight.  
  
"Woah, PMS," Van muttered to himself, but followed Hitomi none the less. He didn't want to be stuck in the forest for one more minute- hell, he wanted to go home, though he was beginning to feel that he would be on Gaia for longer than he wanted. Much longer.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Shit!" Van yelled at nearly the top of his lungs, staring around at the odd shaped fortress. "It looks like one of those old-and-dead pyramids that they made us study! Except.. It's white and has windows." said Van, gawking with his mouth hanging unattractively open. Unattractively, at least, to Hitomi. sort of.  
  
"Shut up, don't stare, close your trap. Don't you have any manners?" she asked him glaring daggers at him while elbowing him violently in the ribcage.  
  
"Ouch. No," he said, still gawking around but shutting his mouth. Hitomi resisted the urge to giggle at his complete and utter astonishment. It was only a simple fortress, after all, but maybe on the mystic moon they didn't have such things. Hitomi didn't know- the only time she had been there she was concentrating more on keeping the dragon from biting everyone's heads off than the surroundings.  
  
"Well, come on, you two," said the knight. It was still dark out, but the sun was beginning to rise, exposing the white of the pyramid and the gold in the knight's hair. Hitomi glared darkly at Schezar, but did as he commanded. He had her Guymelef. He had her sword. She was weak, helpless. It was pathetic- she had only her clothes and a small dagger in her boot, which would do her no good. She had her wings, too, but. her face burned with shame at the thought of flying away. Her wings were tacky, ugly, crude. They were evil, mockingly white, a symbol of the sin that she bore as a descendent of the draconians, and proved that she did not deserve the title of queen. She was a dreg as a draconian- disgusting. Filth. Subconsciously, she tightened the black corset she wore over her emerald tunic tighter- in the hopes of squashing the magical, powerful wings that laid just below the surface of her skin. Van walked alongside her, gawking around at the city they were entering. Hitomi continued to tighten her corset, until she was sure she would suffocate. If she couldn't breathe, she couldn't sprout wings. But she continued to tighten it, little by little, lacing it up tightly in the front.  
  
"Woah," said Van, finally noticing what she was doing. "You know, I had to study corsets once. I failed, but it did really really nasty things to the interior of peoples bodies. And you're gonna have a nasy inside too if you keep tightening that thing," he said. Hitomi glared at him, and knotted the corset.  
  
"I will be fine," she said, managing not to gasp for air. "I only wish to make myself presentable."  
  
"Yeah, sure, whatever, but just to tell you, you'd better not suffocate yourself because if you do, I won't be able to get home. Plus, I'll dry out your corpse and let merle use it for a scratching post, and that wouldn't be much fun. Even if you were dead." Illogical conclusion, as usual. Hitomi was beginning to expect this sort of random statement from Van, whose mind was apparently slightly twisted. Hitomi thought for a moment, trying to imagine what would be inside: fireworks, naked girls and a cow, maybe. She didn't know, and didn't really care. Well, not much, anyway.  
  
"Fine," Hitomi gasped out. "No suffocating." But as soon as Van looked away, she tightened it more. No breathing, no wings, she chanted to herself over and over again. She was finally satisfied when she could barely breathe from walking. Van looked at her once again as they made their way to the fortress, still following the knight that Hitomi detested.  
  
"Um, Hitomi?"  
  
"What?" she wheezed.  
  
"Just to let you know, you're turning a funny shade of blue," he said. Hitomi nodded once, toying slightly with the end of her braid that fell over her shoulder. Remember, no breathing, no wings. "You're destroying a whole buncha brain cells," he continued, poking her in the back. "Plus, your tunic is bagging out really, really weird. It looks almost like you have little stubs sticking out of the back of your shirt.  
  
"What?" Hitomi immediately loosened the corset, sweet air rushing into her lungs. Maybe suffocating herself wasn't the right way after all. She subconsciously felt the tips of her shoulder blades- no wing stubs. Good.  
  
"Milady?" asked Allen from ahead. "We are at the fortress." Sure enough, they were standing in front of the large, pyramid-like building. He opened the door and stood back for Hitomi to pass through, then walked in after her. From the resounding thud behind her, it sounded as though Van had walked straight into the door.  
  
"Van you idiot," Hitomi muttered, turning around and opening the door. Van fell inwards, toppling over onto the young queen.  
  
"Um, Van? Could you get off me?" Hitomi asked, trying to hold Van up and keep from toppling over herself at the same time.  
  
"Yukari, I don't want to go to English," he muttered dazedly, passing out.  
  
"It's probably just a minor concussion," said Allen, leaving Hitomi to deal with the boy from the mystic moon. Unhappily, she dragged the boy down the dim corridor, up three flights of stairs, down two more corridors, up another flight of stairs.  
  
"Allen, where the hell are these rooms?" Hitomi asked grumpily. The boy was not as light as he looked, and Hitomi was just about ready to cut off all his limbs to make him lighter.  
  
"Your room is here. The Mystic Moon boy's room is adjacent from yours. You are expected at dinner tomorrow evening to relate your tale to us. If you need anything, ring the bell. Since your country has burned, it is our duty to take care of you. Good day." Hitomi glowered at the back of the retreating, prissy knight.  
  
"Might as well be a girl," she muttered angrily, kicking open the door to Van's room. She threw him onto his bed and sat down next to him, wishing Allen had at least been kind enough to give her her sword back so that she might have something to do- even if it was to see how many spots of light she could make on the wall with the reflective surface of the blade. But Hitomi didn't have her sword, so she would have to be content to sit and watch the foolish boy sleep. She sat and stared at him- first trying to imagine what he would look like with Allen's hair, or in Merle's dress, but soon found herself contended with just watching his chest rise and fall as he slept. Hitomi wasn't sure if the boy had passed out from exhaustion- they had been walking for almost six hours before they left the forest- or from slamming into the door. Probably a combination of both, but it really didn't matter. The only point was that he was asleep now, and unable to irritate her with his mindless babble. Plus, he actually looked sort of cute when he was asleep.  
  
'No, no no! I didn't just think that!' Hitomi glared at the boy, trying to feel the same contempt she had felt for him when she had first met him, but nothing came- except a warm, fuzzy spark.  
  
"I am a warrior," Hitomi mumbled to herself. "I do not feel warm, fuzzy sparks." But she couldn't help but smile as a strand of Van's hair fell into his sleeping face. She watched it wave around in the breeze created from his steady breathing, and then finally smoothed it out of his face.  
  
"Arg, what's happening to me?" Hitomi growled to herself, staring out the window at the rising sun. In no time at all, she was lost to dreams of raven-haired boys as the first rays of sun shot through the window and landed gently on the faces of the sleeping companions.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi stirred slowly, snippets of memories from the previous day flashing across her mind. Fire, invisible guymelefs, woods, Allen, Van. Then it occurred to her that someone was shaking her arm and calling her name.  
  
"Lady Hitomiiiiii, wake up already!" It was Merle, who was yowling and hopping up and down, but apparently pleased that she had managed to find the queen after the burning of Fanelia.  
  
"Ssh, Merle," said Hitomi, finally coming to. "What do you want?"  
  
"I missed you!" Merle glomped Hitomi, and the young queen delicately pried the cat girl off of her. "And I'm bored." Hitomi face faulted off of her chair onto the floor, twitching slightly.  
  
"So you woke me up?" Hitomi asked furiously, glaring at the cat-girl.  
  
"Yeah. Van won't wake up. Heavy sleeper." Hitomi got up and peered over the edge of the bed at the still-sleeping boy.  
  
"Van." Hitomi whispered softly in a singsong voice, nudging him on the arm. "Vaaannn.."  
  
"Umph.. Use firaga on the moogle and you'll get through to macalania." he mumbled in his sleep.  
  
"Vann, wake up."  
  
"No, mom, I'll do my homework in a minute." Hitomi snickered. This was amusing.  
  
"Vann."  
  
"tickle me elmos are scary.."  
  
"Do you want food?"  
  
"Food?!?!?!?" both Hitomi and Merle doubled over, snickering as Van sat straight up, looking about wildly. He spotted the two girls rolling around on the floor in laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked crossly, smoothing his hair and straightening out his odd shirt.  
  
"You. were... talking.." Merle giggled, "in your- hee hee- sleep. Van glared at Merle, and then smiled, sweat dropping and scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Uh, yeah. Yukari told me that I have the tendency to do that."  
  
"Who's Yukari?" Hitomi asked, regaining her composure. "Your girlfriend? Your sister?"  
  
"My best friend. We blow things up together and sometimes I get knocked out and start mumbling," said Van, super sweat dropping ."So, what about food?" Hitomi thought for a moment.  
  
"Hummm. entertain Merle while I go get food," said Hitomi, suddenly turning and running out of the room.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" yelled Van, diving off of the bed and catching Hitomi by the ankle. "You're not leaving me with her!"  
  
"Lady Hitomiiiiii, can I come with you?" called Merle at the same time.  
  
"Shut it, both of you!" Yelled Hitomi in exasperation. They both 'shut it' at once.  
  
"Merle, would you like to get the food? Our guest can't go by himself and I am not going anywhere with all three of you. New smells, new sights." said Hitomi to the cat girl.  
  
"What do you take me for. a dog?" Merle asked, licking her arm daintily. "I'll go, but don't yell at me when they kick me out of the kitchen for being a 'pet' and not a 'human.'" With this, Merle turned, swishing her tail regally, and left the room.  
  
"That cat," said Van after some period of time, "is absolutely, positively, one hundred and fifty nine percent mentally insane." Hitomi cracked a small smile at this- yes, Merle did fit that description. Then, Hitomi realized that Van was still clutching her ankle- the exact same position he had been in when Merle left.  
  
"PERVERT!!!" yelled Hitomi, bashing Van violently on the head. "Let go of my ankle!"  
  
"Ouch, jeez, I'm sorry," said Van, standing up. "I kinda forgot."  
  
"Yeah, right, because you were too busy staring at my butt," snapped Hitomi. Van looked as though he were about to say, 'but you have a very nice butt, your highness,' but refrained from doing so. Just as well, because earlier Hitomi had stowed a spare dagger down her shirt, hee hee. Van plopped down on the bed (still rubbing his slightly sore head,) and looked at Hitomi.  
  
"Sit," he said, indicating to the spot next to him. Hitomi wondered if he was about to try something- he didn't seem like the type but you never could know. Hitomi remained where she was.  
  
"Sit," said Van again, giving Hitomi a weird look. "You look like you slept in a chair."  
  
"That's because I DID sleep in a chair. I was making sure that you didn't wake up and start doing something to make the queen of Fanelia a laughing stock." Actually, that was only part of the truth. It was actually slightly enjoyable to watch him sleep, in cute, angelic innocence. no, no it wasn't. Laughing stock. Right. Laughing stock. Van gave her a sly look, as if he were reading her mind.  
  
"You were watching me sleep, weren't you?" he asked. Hitomi shook her head, repressing a creeping blush. "Aha! The tin man DOES have a heart!" Then, Hitomi had an idea.  
  
"Actually, no, I was listening to you tell me about your sex life back home," she said with an evil smile. Van went pale.  
  
"I- what- me say- Kari?" he stuttered unintelligibly.  
  
"Oh, yes, all your dreams and sick fantasies," Hitomi said airily.  
  
"WHAT?" yelled Van, turning red. Hitomi snickered, and then laughed all out. Van gaped at her for a minute, and then glared.  
  
"You tricked me," he said, crossing his arms over his chest huffily. "You tricked me! Why I oughta." Van grabbed a pillow and began beating the laughing queen over the head with it.  
  
"No, stop," she giggled, reaching for a pillow herself. The two commenced in a pillow fight, shouting the occasional "take that!" at each other, beating each other senselessly and letting silken feathers fly. Merle came in, carrying a tray of food and looking pleased with herself.  
  
"Heyy, I got you foo. what are you DOING?"  
  
"Pillow fight," laughed Hitomi as she bashed Van over the head. Merle looked at all the feathers.  
  
"Oh. Well, I saw the feathers and.. What are you fighting over?"  
  
"No idea," came the muffled laughter of Van, because Hitomi had just whacked him in the face with a pillow the moment before. Laughing, Van and Hitomi climbed off of the feather strewn bed and made their way over to the table where Merle had set down the food. Still giggling slightly and smiling between bites, they began to eat, forgetting, even if momentarily, the danger that awaited them in the near future.  
  
A/N: Yaay! Here's chapter 3, with my two "bestest buddies" sitting next to me yakking away senselessly. Yeah. Anywhoo. THANKS AND REPLIES:  
  
Pink Cherry Blossom: ^___^ I'm glad you like it. As you can see, I took your suggestion and gave Van something to do with his time: Sword lessons! I didn't take it as a flame, I'm really glad you mentioned that .; Also, I'm giving him those "freaky sci-fi premonitions" because our dear Hitomi would be lunch meat without them, heh heh!!!  
  
esca chick: thank you! I'm glad you think it's a good idea ^^ and I'll update as much as possible.  
  
Dariel: yaaay!!! *hug hug* you're getting to be one of my favorite reviewers! And yes, Van is a pain. The idea for Merle's little "teething problem" I got from my cat, who can be very pissy and likes to bite everyone and everything that he sees. Like I said before, I'll update as much as I can.  
  
Aeka-himme: I'm glad you liked it hee hee!  
  
Mirakai no tenshi neko-jin: ^_^^_^ otay  
  
Final A/N: AAAAAHHHH!!!!! GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN *bow bow* I finished this chapter yesterday but I didn't have a chance to upload it.. I'll try and upload every Sunday from now on, okay?  
  
~Azure 


	4. That's Some Really Good Pink Shit

A/N: OMG I LOVE YOU GUYSSSS!!!!!!!!! *tears up and then sneezes* ugh. it's the sniffle season here, and. I GOT THE SNIFFLES! UNCOOL! Anywhoo, I've had a pretty bad case of writer's block. ONLY THREE WEEKS LEFT UNTIL I'M ALLOWED TO PLAY DURING THE WEEK AGAIN. as long as I don't fail anything. I don't know, I think my mom might not have heart attack if I fail English because I've been studying really hard. the teacher has these terribly horribly violent mood swings. just the other day she was all happy and nice and then like an hour later I pulled out a comic book in the library 'cause I'd finished all my homework and she bit my head off. eesh. Arg, but I don't want to fail!!! I want straight A's and with this stupid English class I don't think that's gonna happen. A.L.S.O. I had this god awful Latin quiz this morning, which was EVIL! Waaah, I think I failed that too. But I didn't study for that, until I remembered that there was a quiz five minutes before class started. but that's okay because I've been getting like straight 100's in Latin anyway, but I do have a test Monday, which is never a good thing. I hat babble languages. AGH! Lets see: Next week, I have a Latin test, a Geography test, an Algebra test and an IPC test, a quiz in study skills, and I have to present my project in Dance. Feel the pain.. If I do bad on any of these I don't get to play 'pooter any more. *sob* and why am I even telling you all this? BECAUSE THE FATE OF ALL IN MY FAN FIC DEPEND UPON IT!!!  
  
Also, another note: O__o woah. everyone gave me feedback on the tickle me elmos and pillow fights. I never really noticed that there were pillow fights in other fics. ^___^ it just sorta randomly appeared on the page.. Ahem. I shut up now.  
  
Disclaimer: um??? I have the sniffled and a glotter lava lamp. I don't own much else, and certainly not Escaflowne.  
  
YET ANOTHER NOTE: ^_____^ The fruits basket series is really, really, really good!!!! Go watch it!!! O__o ANYWHOO..  
  
THREE Oh, Lady Hitomiiii," twinkled Merle, "you look soooooo beautiful!" Hitomi glared at her reflection. Merle had shoved her into the frilliest dress in existence- ivory with pale green leaves stitched all over the frilled skirt. Poofy sleeves, tight corset. it was fairly fashionable. Hitomi tugged uncomfortably at it.  
  
"Merle, I can't move in this thing," said Hitomi. "As Van would say, Just screw it."  
  
"Oh, Van, eh?" asked the cat girl, sprouting a fanged, mischievous smile. "Don't you want to look pretty for him?"  
  
"I don't care what Van thinks. In fact, I don't think what any man thinks. They're all sniveling, lowly creatures."  
  
"Sniveling and lowly or not, you're wearing the dress," snapped Merle. "And you're going to behave yourself at dinner or your legs will be my new favorite scratching post."  
  
"Merle, you'd tear the dress first. I refuse to wear this monstrosity. There's too many frills and bows and too much lace and, for heaven's sake, I can't breathe! Can't we pick something different?" the queen wheezed. Merle glared, but repented.  
  
"Fine. But it has to have green in it," said Merle. Hitomi thankfully loosened the laces in the front, wincing slightly as the corset peeled away from her raw chest. There were deep red gashes across her skin.  
  
"Flaming Fire-newts," said Hitomi, inspecting the damage. "That dress did more damage than Zaibach with that damned luck machine of theirs. Let me choose," said Hitomi as Merle picked out yet another monstrosity. She looked through the closet filled with dresses from Allen's many lovers, and finally selected a light, white slip and a translucent, gauzy over dress.  
  
"But Hitoomiii, that's so plain," whined Merle.  
  
"I don't care. I want my real clothes back, and I'm not wearing one of those awful frilled things," said Hitomi, ripping off the wretched, poofy dress and pulling the slip over her head. Over that, she put the pale green dress, and over that a solid, velvet emerald skirt that opened to reveal the layers below. Hitomi fastened the black corset over the whole thing, creating a nice, contrary effect.  
  
"Oh, Lady Hitomi, that looks even better," said Merle. Hitomi looked in the mirror, and was slightly pleased at the effect. The dress clung in the appropriate places and billowed out in others. It looked, over all, very nice.  
  
'Van won't be able to resist me in this,' thought Hitomi with a twisted smirk, then her eyes went wide. 'No, no, no, no, no. I don't care about him. Kanzaki, you don't care. He's just very, very nice looking, with raven hair that spills lightly into his eyes and- no! Shut up!'  
  
"Shut up!" yelled Hitomi out loud, causing Merle to give her an odd look. The queen colored as she put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"I didn't say anything," she said as Merle began coiling her long, sandy- blonde hair up on top of her head in an elegant bun.  
  
"I'm sure," said Merle sarcastically as she inserted black, jeweled chopsticks into the bun. Hitomi pulled on some night-black gloves, and re- checked her appearance.  
  
"I'm off," said Hitomi, stepping out into the hallway. "Merle, if you get into any trouble at all for lurking outside the dining room."  
  
"I won't," mewed Merle, with an innocent-yet-guilty look. Hitomi resisted the urge to kick the little cat girl in the rib cage, and instead contented herself with lacing up her shin high, velvet black boots and left the room, knowing that Merle would eventually follow. Hitomi whacked her knuckles against Van's door.  
  
"Please let him be gone please let him be gone please let him be gone, please let him be gone, please- Oh, hello Van. Are you coming up to dinner?" Hitomi asked, putting on her best 'the queen will kill you if you say no,' smile. Van stared at her, all over her.  
  
"Um, yeah," he said, stepping out of the room barefooted.  
  
"Van. you need shoes."  
  
"Shoes, right, shoes," he laughed nervously, and then walked back into his room, still staring at Hitomi.  
  
"Is there something on my face?" Hitomi asked incredulously. "Um, Van, that's you left boot," she mentioned with a satisfied smirk as he tried to jam the boot onto his right foot.  
  
"Oh, right," he said, his cheeks flushing as he looked down and put the boots on the right feet. "Are we gonna go shove our faces or what?" he asked, standing up and giving Hitomi a very funny look that caused butterflies to form in her stomach. No, wait, it was a dragon and it was about to explode.  
  
"Uh, um, yes, yes, we will go glove our spaces."  
  
"You mean dove our aces."  
  
"Shove our cases?"  
  
"Love our faces..." Both Van and Hitomi flushed red at this.  
  
"Let's go," said Hitomi.  
  
"Right," said Van, and they hurried down the hall, both redder than the other, which was definitely saying something.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~:.:*:.  
  
"Queen Hitomi, I would like you to meet the lady Millerna," said Allen. "She is my guest."  
  
"And I am not? I think you would take me for a prisoner, or a prize," said Hitomi angrily, glaring at the knight.  
  
"Whoa! Dude, you sound like something outta Shakespeare or something," said Van, picking up a glass of funny looking pink stuff that he had been eyeing just before Millerna walked in and Allen... Van picked up the glass and sipped it. It was good! He chugged the glass.  
  
"That's some good shit," he said happily, leaning back in his chair. Hitomi, Millerna, and Allen all stared at him- then the knight burst out laughing.  
  
"That's the first time I've ever seen someone drink a whole glass of wine from the south at a time."  
  
"Yeah, well, it's really good," said Van, taking another big sip of the drink as a servant re-filled the glass. "Wine, huh? It's almost as good as vanilla coke, or maybe even the cherry slushies at school that taste really alcoholic." Bottom of the cup. Darn. Wait, here comes the servant, re- filling it. Yay! "Say, Did I -hic- ever tell you about Baseball?" third glass halfway gone. Hitomi made a disgusted noise and pushed back from the table as Millerna and Allen watched Van's antics in amusement. She walked out into the hall illuminated my moonlight, and in seconds Merle had crept over and settled at her side with a "Meow!"  
  
"Yeah, Baseballs really really fun. It's like. it's like.. you see that fork?"  
  
"Yes," said Allen.  
  
"Well, you take the fork, and you attach little legs to it with clay, and then you get a camera and take pictures frame by frame, and in each frame you move it, right?"  
  
"Right," said Millerna. By now, Van was almost done with his fourth glass.  
  
"And then, you get this giant thing," said Van, gestulating wildly with his hands. "Like, maybe a giant wine glass or something. Like my wine glass. hey. where did it go?"  
  
"You dropped it on the floor," said Allen.  
  
"Darn. That means I lost some of that really really good shit. But, yeah. You get this big thing and you take a whole bunch of pictures of the fork slowly getting buried in more stuff. Like sand. Or wine, or. yay! Another glass!"  
  
"Go on," urged Millerna, laughing a bit.  
  
"And then you take the fork and use it to strike a spark against a rock wall loaded with dynamite. And you record that too, but not picture-by- frame. And then you blow up! And you watch it on the camera after you get out of rehab for being a pyro, and that's that!" ended Van in a slurred voice.  
  
"And this is baseball?" asked Allen as Millerna began to turn pink.  
  
"What? What's baseball again? Oh yeah! Where you hit stuff with stuff. No, it's not boose ball."  
  
"Boose ball? But what does the 'camera' and the fork have to do with that?"  
  
"Oh, the camera and the fork! I did that once. It was fun. Hey, have you ever read "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe?"  
  
"No," said Allen again as Millerna turned a distinct shade of red.  
  
"Neither have I," said Van as Millerna exploded in giggles and had to excuse herself. Hitomi gave a frustrated sigh and stalked down the hallway, Merle following at her heels. Van wondered where Hitomi was going, and excused himself as well.  
  
"'scuse me, but I'm really really drunk and have to go do something now," said Van stupidly staggering away from the table and coming dangerously near to ramming into several valuable, breakable objects.  
  
"Hitooommmiiiiiii," Van called, his voice echoing down the hallway. "Which way is my room again?" He staggered drunkenly around.  
  
"She's not your babysitter," said Merle, appearing suddenly around a dark corner that Van hadn't noticed in his drunken stupor.  
  
"So? I like her! I wanna talk to Hitomi. 'usides, I'm her guest and obloogatoon. oblageesion.."  
  
"Obligation?" asked Hitomi, stepping out from the same corner as Merle. "Unfortunately, it does seem so."  
  
"Hey Hitomiii, whassamatter?" Van asked the young queen. "That happy pink juice can take all your troubles away!"  
  
"You," said Hitomi, turning her back to him.  
  
"Me?" shrieked Van as Merle slunk away. "Whatda I do?"  
  
"You. you just showed up from the Mystic Moon." Said Hitomi with a bitter laugh. "I knew who I was. I was Kanzaki Hitomi, princess, queen of Fanelia. I was a warrior, no weaknesses. I was whole, even without family. Because I had my county and my blade, I was happy. But then, you showed up, Van, and I don't appreciate what you're doing. You're turning my world upside-down and.dammit! I just can't stand anything anymore, Van. My country has dissolved info flames. Everything that once was my entire world is crumbling around me like dust. And. it's just.. You. You're the only one who has remained the same, and I hate it! How can you do this to me? Wreck me on the inside?" Hitomi asked Van angrily. Had the boy not been so drunk, he would have noticed the glimmering of tears in her eyes.  
  
"Aw, Hitomi, I'm sorry," slurred Van. "'S there any thing I can do?"  
  
"Go get some sleep and don't come crawling to me when you have a hangover tomorrow morning," Hitomi said dryly. Van obeyed her command for he almost immediately passed out, and just missed hurling the contents of his stomach on her shoes. Hitomi smiled to herself and shook her head, and hauled Van back to his room, feeling happy and warm and content from head to toe.  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, I know, that was really short and actually very boring.. what a crappy chapter. Next one will be better. But I have to get this thing published and,,, arg! I'm overwhelmed with work.. But, believe it or not, it was important to the plot. So, yeah. Be ready for Chapter 5 next week!  
  
THANKYOU A THOUSAND TIMES OVER TO:  
  
Feye Morgan: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the pillow fight and yes, Hitomi IS a snob.  
  
esca chick: ^____^ warm and fuzzy indeed! Thanks for your support.  
  
LOVE WITCH: Every Sunday, usually. ^___^ Yes, it WAS a ridiculous outfit *CACKLE* I'm glad you love the story. And yes, it IS non existent.  
  
Aeka-himme: Yes, Tickle me Elmos are indeed very frightening. I'm sorry Fanfiction cut you off. I hate it when that happens *glare glare.* Ahm, anywhoo, that whole pillow fight thing IS rather. odd, but it's what my crazy brain pulled outta nowhere, so. yeah. DON'T HURT ME!  
  
Mirakai no tenshi neko-jin: ^____^ your wait is over! . er..wait. at least.. AGH! Okay, rephrase. Here's chapter four, now you have to wait for chapter 5. gomen!  
  
Dariel: If you hurt me then I won't be able to review, so. yeah. I'm going to keep my health in-tact, thanks very much. Actually, there WAS something, which I am saving for a later chapter. like. maybe number 5 or so? Heh heh.. Really? Your cat sleeps all day? So does my other one o__O on my feet, which kinda sucks 'cause she bites me when I try and move .; but, yeah. Talking in sleep is good. Metal doors are bad. I will update soon, I promise (yet again!)  
  
Pink Cherry Blossom: yes, it will be very fun to see Van duke it out with a sword, ha ha ha! I'm glad you like the premonotions idea, and I wouldn't give up the humor moments on my life. Err. yeah. Anywhoo, T.Y.!  
  
Final A/N: Okay, There's a lot of crap coming next chapter, such as:  
  
~ What the hell is between Hitomi and Allen  
  
~ Does Van actually have skill with a sword or will he accidentally chop his head off  
  
AND  
  
~ Dilandu's birthday party! HAHAHAHA!  
  
O_____o no more caffeine for me. Goodbye everybody, and I will see you next Sunday. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  
  
~Azure 


	5. Dilandau's Birthday Party PART I

A/N: yet again. OMG I LOVE YOU GUYSSSSSS!!!!! *sob sob* Your reviews cheered me up so much. today I had the worst day! I woke up half an hour late, felt so sick that I couldn't eat breakfast, had a fight with my mom, left the house, got on the bus, the bus overheated and broke down so I was stranded for half an hour, then I got to school and had a god awful bench mark in geography, then I went to study skills and had to take a vocabulary quiz, then after that the fire alarm went off and so there was this big drill, then I went to lunch and spent the whole time doing school work so I got next to no food, then I went to science and the fire alarm went off again and kept ringing almost continuously for somewhere between 20 mins to half an hour, then after that I took a test in science, and after that I headed off to algebra and just barely missed taking a test- instead I did a worksheet that I got a 59.5 on. A 59.5! And my tests got bumped to Monday s I'm going to be studying all weekend, and, crap. I have UIL Saturday, and I need to go to tutoring, plus my dad is coming back from Mexico and to top it all off.. Ushicon is coming here and I don't have a costume and I can't go because I'll be playing my freaking cello all afternoon. Grr! But, your reviews really cheered me up. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I own the mood "grumpy," seeing as it is my permanent state of being during the week. And, oh, I own sleep deprivation, too. But not escaflowne.  
  
WARNING: LOTS of innuedo and implications in this chapter, and some anti- allen-antics as well. DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU!  
  
FIVE  
  
"Van." Van awoke to someone prodding hi min the side gently with the tip of their finger. "Van, get up already! It's almost one!"  
  
"I don't care," muttered Van, rolling over, burrowing into a web of covers and squashing his pillow firmly over his head.  
  
"Oi, Van you baka, wake up!" Van was pummeled in the head with his pillow, and then had the covers yanked off him.  
  
"Jeesus!" yelled Van, sitting up. He quickly regretted that, along with opening his eyes. "My head." groaned Van, putting a hand to his forehead and melting back down onto the soft mattress, squirming like an insect found below a large rock.  
  
"Van, get up!" yelled Hitomi.  
  
"NO. My head hurts. What the hell did I do last night?" he mumbled.  
  
"Don't you remember anything?" asked Hitomi, and Van could just see her with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Hmm. I remember some really really good pink shit and something about Douglas Adams and.. Baseball.." Muttered Van. "Oh no! Did I spill about the baseball incident?"  
  
"No, you talked about a camera, a fork, rehab, and nearly puked all over my shoes."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I remember that Allen jerk and you and. was there someone else there?"  
  
"Yes, the princess Millerna of Austaria. But is that all you remember?" Hitomi asked impatiently.  
  
"Um.. Something about a 'boose' and. didn't you tell me something about warriors and the world turning upside down?"  
  
"Never mind," said Hitomi dully, glaring out the window at Merle, who was creeping along on the window sill, trying to catch a pair of doves sitting outside. She pounced and missed the birds by a long shot as they flew away.  
  
"Okay then," said Van, deciding that the conversation was over. He re- claimed his covers from Hitomi and pulled them over his head again, trying to escape the light of day.  
  
"Van, you have to get up," said Hitomi, trying to tug the covers away from Van. But he wouldn't let go, so Hitomi tugged harder and harder, until Van and his blankets both came off the bed, raining down on the queen.  
  
"Ack!" shrieked Hitomi, as she was buried in a mountain of linen. Unfortunately, Van then landed right on top of her with a loud "oof".  
  
"Off," grunted Hitomi, doing her best to detangle herself from the blankets. Van attempted to scramble back up onto the soft mattress, but his foot was caught in a blanket. Just as Hitomi was removing the last layer of sheets, Van came tumbling back down, landing on top of her once more.  
  
"Uhhh," said Hitomi, turning red as she realized that Van's face was buried in her chest. "Van, could you please.."  
  
"Sorry," Van said in a high pitched voice, hoping up like he had been electrocuted. His face was as round and read as a ripe tomato, and Hitomi supposed she must look the same. Van had a blanket clutched in his hands, crossed in front of him, and was staring at the floor.  
  
"Um, Hitomi, I'm very, very very sorry about that," he muttered, trying to shield his eyes from the sun. Hitomi, still blushing, took pity on him and reached over and shut the curtains with a swish, allowing only a crack of light into the room.  
  
"I'll just be going now," said Hitomi, flailing to realize through her embarrassment that she was tied up in blankets from Van's second fall. Van was standing next to the bed, twisting the blanket in his hands, still holding it protectively in front of him. Hitomi took a step towards the door and tripped, falling back onto Van, who fell back onto the bed, further entangling them both in blankets. But now, both were blushing a lovely shade of magenta, and Hitomi gave a cough, looking up at Van, whose face was so close that his breathing was tickling her cheek. Hitomi gulped, resisting the urge to close the remaining space between them, and instead tried to push herself up, only to find that she and Van were quite literally tied together in blankets.  
  
"Um, okay," said Hitomi, "we can find a way around this." Hitomi tried not to look at Van, the odd gleam in his eyes, the little smile on his face.  
  
"Just, maybe, move that way a bit," said Hitomi, pointing to the left and moving to the right herself. Unfortunately, either Van had gotten nasty high school ideas or Hitomi was just having a bad day, but they wound up rolling over once so that Van was directly on top of Hitomi, their faces not an inch apart.  
  
"Van," said Hitomi weakly..  
  
"Lady Hitomi! Van! What are you doing!" exclaimed Merle.  
  
"Merle! Thank god! I need your help here, I'm all tangled up."  
  
"We're all tangled up," corrected Van. "And I am quite comfortable, so if you could just leave us alone, Merle."  
  
"NO way!" shrieked the little cat girl, pouncing upon Van and proceeding to tear the sheets with her claws, also unfortunately ripping Van and Hitomi's clothes and flesh a bit in the process.  
  
"Ouch, Merle., You're hurting me," muttered Hitomi a bit, turning pink as she realized that Van's arms were wrapped around her waist under the cocoon of sheets. "That's enough. I can take care of the rest of it," said Hitomi, wiggling uncomfortably and trying to pry Van's hands off of her. However, it didn't seem he was letting go.  
  
"I think not!" Exclaimed Merle, ripping at the last few layers. "I'm not going to let the same thing that happened with Allen happen with you, Lady Hitomi."  
  
"Allen?" asked Van curiously, moving his arms just enough as Merle got to through the last sheet so that it would look as though they really had fallen- which they did.  
  
"Merle," yelled Hitomi as soon as she was free, slipping out from under Van and chasing the cat girl around in circles. "You promised never to mention that!"  
  
"Eep!" shrieked Merle, dashing under the table and squishing her tail slightly.  
  
"What happened with Allen?" asked Van, diverting Hitomi's attention.  
  
"Merle, would you please LEAVE?" asked Hitomi, kicking her foot harshly under the table but only succeeding in getting bitten.  
  
"Fine. Don't come crying to me, though," said Merle. "I tried to stop you, don't forget that when you can't get into your guymelef cause you're belly's swollen with his- leaving.." she said, dashing out with a swish of her tail as the queen glared. Hitomi locked the door behind the cat girl and walked to the window, peering out through the crack in the drapes.  
  
"Seriously, Hitomi, what happened with Allen?" asked Van, hopping onto his table and sitting cross legged, watching the queen pacing around his room. He had calmed down quite a bit, his senses restored.  
  
"It's a long story. It happened just a few months ago."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi strolled idly through the garden in the palace of Fanelia, savoring the short, sweet moment when she could just admire the green beauty of her homeland. She sat down in front of a fountain, splashing her hand in the water and sending ripples through her reflection.  
  
"Ah, my lady," said a voice. "What a pleasure to meet you here." Allen stepped out from behind a rosebush. Hitomi had always been enamored with the gorgeous knight, ever since she had first seen him. The way his gold hair glinted in the sun, his beautiful eyes.  
  
"The pleasure is mine," said Hitomi, standing graciously. "But, what are you doing in these private gardens?"  
  
"I came seeking you," said the knight, bowing low before the princess.  
  
"What an honor," said Hitomi as the knight gently kissed the flesh on the back of her hand.  
  
"Indeed," said Allen, and then walked up close to Hitomi, so that their faces were but an inch apart.  
  
"A demon has taken hold of my heart," said Allen to the princess. "And made it hot with flames of love for you."  
  
"For- for me?" Hitomi stuttered, taking a step back. Something seemed wrong.  
  
"Yes, for you," said Allen, closing the space between them again. "And the burning will not stop until I have you."  
  
"Oh, um, well," Hitomi stuttered, backing up even farther. But Allen came forward and tilted her chin up, and began to kiss her heatedly. His hands moved to her corset, trying to undo the laces. Hitomi recoiled, and slapped him.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Hitomi as fear and cold realization took hold of her. Where was her sword? Why had she chosen today to get it fixed at the blacksmith? Oh, it was because Allen told her to. The knight came at her again, again trying to undo her corset as he kissed her heatedly. Hitomi tried to back up again, but found that she had been pushed against one of the tall shrubs lining the maze-like garden. She shuddered as her corset came looser, and then the 'offending restraint' began to slide to the ground. Without thinking as Allen began to pry off her tunic, she grabbed the sword hanging at Allen's hip and drew it, pointing it at the knight's throat.  
  
"Leave my castle, and my kingdom now," said Hitomi. "You are hereby banished from Fanelia on penalty of dismemberment, disembowelment, and death." The knight backed up, his hands held protectively in front of him.  
  
"Surely, my lady, we can come to an agreement?"  
  
"No. Leave now, before I alert Austaria to this and have you removed from the knighthood of Caeli." Allen's eyes grew wide and he backed up, and then ran away. Hitomi collapsed on the ground, her open tunic billowing loosely around her, and put her head in her hands and cried.  
  
"Lady Hitomi?" Meowed Merle hours later, after she found the princess in the same position, still sobbing. "What happened. Why is your corset off? And your tunic is almost undone. What happened?"  
  
"It was Allen," said Hitomi, and that was the most she ever said of it to anyone.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"And. that's what happened," finished Hitomi, her voice cracked, her cheeks more than a little damp. She stopped her pacing around the room, and looked at Van for the first time since she had begun her story. He was looking at her with disbelief, sadness, and even a tinge of pity. Hitomi hated pity- pity was for the lowly and weak. But somehow, pity from Van didn't seem that bad. Hitomi sat down on the edge of the window, staring out at the bright garden, trying to take in the sun to cure the darkness in her heart. Van was apparently weirded out by Hitomi's confession, his hangover long forgotten.  
  
"That's terrible, that Merle said something like that to you." said Van, still sitting cross legged on his table.  
  
"But it's true! I brought it upon myself because I'm weak," said Hitomi. "It's my fault. I made Allen go mad. If I hadn't been so weak, then maybe I wouldn't have been attacked." Hitomi did her best to quell the flow of tears threatening to burst.  
  
"No, it's not," said Van, coming up to Hitomi and hugging her. "You're not weak at all. There's just something wrong with Allen. How can you stay here, near him?"  
  
"He sent me a letter," said Hitomi into Van's shoulder. "Not more than two weeks after he left. He said that he didn't know what had come over him, and would understand if I did not forgive him. I can't trust him here, but I know that he won't try anything. He knows that I would go to the king of Austaria and he would be killed." No more words passed between Hitomi and Van- both content to sit there, Van's arms circling the fragile queen, but both silently wondered to themselves if the other one felt more than comfort in this embrace, both feeling the same glow of warmth and content deep within their souls.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Stinking bastard," Van muttered under his breath, hefting what had to be the heaviest sword ever created. "Gave me a cast-iron piece of junk."  
  
"Fanel! Are you ready yet?" called Allen, smirking, from the other side of the ring. "I don't have all day you know. There are things I have to do."  
  
"Yeah," said Van to himself, "like condition, cream, and curl your hair." He managed to lift the heavy sword, partly because of his anger against the blonde knight, and also partly because Hitomi was watching in the stands.  
  
"Don't worry. You'll do fine," Hitomi said to Van softly before he had entered the ring. She absolutely refused to be left alone after she told him about Allen, and Van had the suspicion that she was worried Allen might try something again, come back for more. Van silently wondered how Hitomi must have felt in those dark woods with Allen standing over her as he faced the blonde knight.  
  
"You ready you prissy ass?" Van half yelled, half muttered.  
  
"What?" asked Allen, tearing his eyes away from the blonde chick in the stands that Hitomi had told Van was Millerna, and that she had been at dinner last night with him.  
  
"I'm ready," said Van, hefting the sword again. Hey, this time, it didn't seem too heavy. Cool.  
  
"Right. Well then, how much do you know about sword fighting?" Allen asked, drawing his sword, hefting it with one hand and pointing it directly at Van.  
  
"Nothing whatsoever," Van said as the blonde knight charged. He quickly lifted the sword in order to prevent his head from being sliced off, and felt adrenaline pump through his veins as he began to fight with the knight, who seemed intent upon Van's death.  
  
"Shit, dude! Are you trying to kill me?" Van asked as the muscles in his arm began to give way.  
  
"No, because the lady Hitomi would have my head. But you are what stands in my way of her affections. You catch on to sword fighting quickly, Fanel." Van swung fiercely at the knight, just barely missing him. And yet, their dance was no imitation of the deadly battle between life and death- it was the real thing. Or, at least, it seemed to be so to Van, who was doing his best to keep all his limbs in the correct places, instead of on the dirt covered arena floor. Minutes, seconds, hours, years, and eternity all blended together as an fought Allen. It may have been only minutes or eons later when Allen finally stepped back, signifying that the "first training" session was over.  
  
"Very good, Van," said Allen as the boy dropped his sword.  
  
"Shit!" exclaimed Van as the sword landed on his foot. He kicked it, and only proceeded in stubbing his toe on the hilt instead. He hopped around on one foot in this fashion for a while, using the very colorful language that poured through his lips on a daily basis like a toddler with walls and a box of crayons. Laughter erupted behind Van, and he hopped to see what the hell was so funny. His heart softened as he saw the Queen standing before him, giggling, covering her mouth with her hand but her emerald eyes sparkling with mirth.  
  
"I'm sorry," she giggled. "I shouldn't laugh.." It was one of the first times Van had heard Hitomi laugh, if not the first, and he absolutely loved it. She calmed herself down a bit, and then sighed, becoming serous once more.  
  
"Allen. I have a proposition for you," said the queen. Van didn't like the tone in her voice, and was unsure of what this would lead to.  
  
"Yes?" Asked the Knight, digging his sword into the ground and leaning upon it.  
  
"We duel. If I win, I get my sword and Escaflowne back, and you allow myself, Merle and my guest, Van, to leave. And if you win."  
  
"A kiss from the queen," he said, a smirk twisting his features. Only Van could se her stiffen a bit, and knew that it would be traumatic for Hitomi were he to touch her like before..  
  
"Done," said the queen, lifting Van's sword effortlessly and pointing it dangerously at Allen. "Begin."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Dammit, I'm bored!" Yelled Dilandau, stomping around the Vione and glaring at various passerby, who scurried away.  
  
"Calm yourself, Dilandau," said a tall man with spiky green hair and dark eyes.  
  
"No!" Shrieked Dilandau. "It's my birthday, Folken! I want to do something fun for once, instead of sit on this stupid ship all day."  
  
"Let's have a birthday party, then," said Gatti logically, leaning against his guymelef.  
  
"Yeah!" said Chesta, jumping a bit. "With clowns and a cake and candles-"  
  
"Candles?" asked Dilandau, obviously interested in the prospect of something on fire.  
  
"Yeah!" said Miguel, joining in. "We could play pin the fire on the castle!"  
  
"And use flame throwers instead of water skeltzers!"  
  
"And, we could dress Folken up as the clown!" said Guimel drolly.  
  
"N-now wait a minute," said Folken, putting up his hands and backing away. "I'd be a terrible clown."  
  
"But you wear makeup," pointed out Chesta, and Gatti nodded.  
  
"Yup! You should be our clown."  
  
"I want cake!" called Miguel.  
  
"Let's go play pin the fire on the castle!" cried Dilandau, throwing his fist into the air.  
  
"Yeah!" chorused the men.  
  
"Folken, get the servants to prepare a cake with candles, and then go dress up like a clown and we won't light anything on fire for a month! I promise," said Dallet.  
  
"But-" stammered Folken, who was cut off as the guymelefs activated their stealth cloaks.  
  
"We're all out of cake batter," he mumbled as the dragon slayers zoomed away. Laughing, the Dragon slayers zoomed down towards the earth.  
  
"Pick the victim, Dilandau!" cried Chesta.  
  
"I choose... Allen Schezar! I always hated him for being prettier than me," said Dilandau.  
  
"Allen Schezar it is!" howled Guimel, zooming in circles as they closed in on the fort.  
  
"One," said Gatti.  
  
"Two," said Chesta.  
  
"Three!" called Miguel.  
  
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Dilandau, happy birthday to you!" sang the men crazily as they lit the town on fire, causing peasants to run screaming.  
  
"Count to three and make a wish," said Dallet as the fire began to spread.  
  
"One, two, three," muttered Dilandau, and made his wish- a tickle me elmo, as odd as it was. He had picked up a transmission for one on a television in Zaibach, and had wanted one as soon as he saw the little child tickling the plush red toy.  
  
"Let's wreck this place!" yelled Dilandau, zooming forward in his guymelef as the others followed.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: Woo! A cliffie! Hahahahahaha, feel the evilness. Today was a really really good day. First, I had Those Who Are Evil sleep over at my house last night, so that was a blast, even though they were all sort of high on lord of the rings this morning because we watched the uncut version last night. But, yeah. And then I worked on this for most of the day and then I went to U.I.L. and I got a one on my cello piece. A one! That means that I'm da bomb!!!! And, to top it all off. my daddy came back from Mexico! So, yay. I'm happy. It's too bad about the space shuttle crashing down over my dear beloved state, though. Never forget the poor souls who died this morning- let them live on in your heart. Yeah, sorry for the sappy moment, but it had to be said! Oh, another thing. I'm sorry about the "Allen nearly raped Hitomi" sort of thing, but it plays a part later on, so, yeah.  
  
FOR THOSE WHO REALLY REALLY LOVE ME:  
  
esca chick: I stole the camera story from "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe," by Douglas Adams. Excellent book, that is, I just had to modify it so that I wouldn't totally be ripping him off. So, yeah. Rock on!  
  
Feye Morgan: Was Dilly's party insane enough for you? This is only part one, muahahahaha. Douglas Adams is a genius, yes yes, and Allen's a bit scary, so, yeah.  
  
LOVE WITCH: go V/H! I hope you liked all the fluffy/ embarassing moments in this chapter. I had just had a couple of cokes and was high on LOTR, so, yeah.  
  
SabrinaYutsuki: yay! You're a great reviewer! And I will write more. *salute*  
  
Dariel: thank you for refraining from inflicting bodily injury on this poor, broken Pointe dancer. *sniff* injury sucks. But, yeah. Thanks for 'sparing me'. And, Arg, I had to present a project on the titan Prometheus in English, and I had to wear a toga and everything. can you spell "one pound ground beef?" Oh, feel the pain of English class. and, sorry that nothing happened in this chapter either. that's coming up in later chapters *nudge nudge wink wink* ahm. No, none of THAT. just more fluff and crap. And, by the way. DOORS ARE EVIL! So, yeah. I've already begun on chapter 6. hooray! Maybe I'll get the next one out sooner, but, I doubt it.  
  
Mirakai no tenshi neko-jin: here's the update you wanted. did you enjoy it?  
  
Aeka-himme: yeah. that was a pretty amusing chapter. But, anywhoo, last year my English teacher was the EXACT SAME OMG. I described her with colorful language the whole year, especially because I had her two years in a row. she was teaching an elective class and then I decided not to take it so that I would escape, and WHADDAYAKNOW, she transferred up to English for the next grade level, and I had her THREE TIMES A DAY- homeroom, study hall and English. Blah. You have my condolences.  
  
Special thanks to my evil younger sibling, thanks to whom I would not be able to spell Shakespeare. She's a total nerd, I swear! Like, a certified genius or something. she gets straight A+'s, which is really evil because she's in evil genius child classes and she's even reading this over my shoulder as I type. oh, wait, she's failing English too. What a refreshing change.  
  
FINAL A/N: Woohoo! Chapter 5! I'm sorry about the slight angst in this chapter, but I can't stand Allen. "He's gay" ~ my evil younger sibling has declared. So, yeah. Believe it or not, that angsty little blurb ACTUALLY HAS A POINT, just let me figure it out. And any flames that I receive on it will be used to light something non-Dilandau related in the story on fire, which I don't think anyone wants. So, yeah. And sorry, that was a terribly crappy chapter. SORRY!!!!  
  
oh, and sorry for spelling "Dilandau" wrong, I have minor dyslexia so I always screw crap up and. yeah. It's an excuse, but it's true! I swear! Anyway, I love you all and I especially love those who review! And believe me, you'd rather I love you than hate you. Just ask Those Who Are Evil. They're afraid of me, so, ha.  
  
~Azure 


	6. Folken's Scary Clown Suit PART II

A/N: Wooohoo! I LOVE my dear friend Justin, who was kind enough to drive me to ushicon today! I'm oh so joyous, except that I couldn't find ANY Escaflowne stuff, which was very depressing. But, still. yay!!!! Ushicon, ushicon, ushicon! My god, I need to work on a new costume for the next convention, which I am going to go to even if it's the last thing I do. Even if it means I have to hitch hike with Justin again, and share a hotel room with him. Actually, that might not be that bad, but still. My parents would freak out, and I don't think he'd try anything, but still.. I STILL WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT CONVENTION, which is probably A-con, in Dallas, which is three-ish hours away from our homes. Oh well. Yeah. Anywhoo, on with the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I own one pass to Ushicon and. let me get back to you on that.  
  
SIX  
  
"Shit!" yelled Van as, quite suddenly, the ground exploded and flames shot down from nowhere. Screaming women, crying children, yelling and terror erupted from the small fortress, over which could be heard the faint echoed of song.  
  
"Dammig, this is a sick, twisted world," muttered Van as the ground exploded next to him. He ran to the arena, where Allen and Hitomi had been duking it out for the past few hours. Van had finally needed to take a 'pee break', and had been making his way back to the arena, greatly releived of a heavy burden.  
  
"Hitomi!" he yelled, making his way through the mob as smoke poured through the city. He dashed through the double doors protecting the arena, and stopped. Hitomi was standing with one foot on Allen's chest, her sword pointed at his throat.  
  
"We'll be going now," said Hitomi to the blonde knight, who only gulped and nodded. The first thing Van noticed about the knight was that he was very pale. The second thing he noticed was that he had blood on his hands- Hitomi's blood. Anger welled up within Van, but he said nothing, knowing that he would only make circumstances worse.  
  
"Come on, Van," said Hitomi, tossing her sword down upon Allen's chest and grabbing the boy by the hand.  
  
"Hitomi, where did all that blood come from?" Van asked the queen as she dashed through the city, her friend in tow.  
  
"The bastard played dirty. He pretended to be injured. When I came over to claim my guymelef and my sword back, he leapt upon me. His sword," said Hitomi, pointing to her arm, "pierced my skin. I managed to pry him off, though, and I won," exclaimed the queen before she rammed straight into a little pink cat girl.  
  
"Hitomi? What's happening?" Merle asked, clutching her nail file with both hands.  
  
"An attack," said Hitomi, still dragging Van by the wrist.  
  
"But lady Hitomi, what do I do?" asked the cat girl.  
  
"Get out of the city! I'll meet up with you at Palas," cried Hitomi. Merle nodded, and scampered off through the smoke.  
  
"Hey, Hitomi?" asked Van as he was dragged through the burning wreckage.  
  
"Yes?" Hitomi snapped, making her way to the fort.  
  
"Where did they put Escaflowne?"  
  
"Escaflowne is in the main hangar," said Hitomi. "Along with my sword- I just didn't expect it to be there."  
  
"Great. SO, why do you need me to come with you?" Van asked her as she dragged him into the building.  
  
"Because," Hitomi said, shutting the doors and striding through the too dark, too quiet hallway. "I need you to tell me where the invisible attackers are."  
  
"Oh," said Van casually, "all around us." He suddenly saw the wall caving in and burying himself and Hitomi in rubble.  
  
"Move!" Yelled Van suddenly, tackling Hitomi out of the way. And sure enough, the vision came true. Where Van and Hitomi had been standing just a moment before, there was nothing but a pile of rubble.  
  
"We need to move faster," said Hitomi, standing up and leading Van down the corridor, illuminated by the gigantic, newly installed window to their right.  
  
"No shit Sherlock," Van said, pushing Hitomi out of the way again as another wall came crashing inwards. With no more words spoken, the two dashed madly through the fortress, until they reached a large room- completely devoid of anything, save for Escaflowne. Hitomi hopped gratefully up into the cabin.  
  
"You ready?" she called to Van over the internal whir of mechanics as he struggled up the slick surface of the guymelef.  
  
"Almost," yelled Van, hooking his arms desperately around an out cropping of metal, his legs sliding comically and uselessly in a windmill on the highly polished guymelef. He felt Escaflowne lift its hand and assist Van up to the shoulder, where he clung on tight to the helmet.  
  
"Lets go!" yelled Van as Escaflowne zoomed off, bursting straight through a wall and exiting the fortress.  
  
"Shit! Are you trying to kill me?" Van yelled to Hitomi, who put the visor down.  
  
"Sorry Van. I'm not that used to having someone on the guymelef as well.  
  
"Left!" yelled Van suddenly, sensing an attacker. Hitomi whirled and raised the sword, and not a moment too soon- there came the loud sound of metal scraping against metal as Escaflowne flung off the attacker.  
  
"Watch out! In front of us!" Van yelled.  
  
"Ah, queen Hitomi," came a loud, cackling voice that sent shivers up Van's spine.  
  
"Show yourself, you beastly coward!" cried Hitomi to the wind as Van pointed to the right, saving Hitomi from another invisible opponent.  
  
"I am no coward! I show myself only when I choose! But, it was fun burning your city, your country, and you're home." Van could almost sense Hitomi's blood boiling, and he felt wildly about with his mind for the invisible attackers.  
  
"They're all around us!" Van yelled to Hitomi. However, the queen did not seem to hear him.  
  
"I took great pleasure in squashing the lives of your people- snuffing each soul like a tiny flame. How powerful you must feel, to know that I have destroyed you with no effort."  
  
"Hitomi, we have to move!" Van yelled to the queen. He snuck a peek at her through the open visor, and very nearly fell off the guymelef. Angry and pale. Suddenly, a vision hit Van like a blast of heat. "Close the visor!" he yelled. "Quick!" Hitomi looked up at him, shocked, and did as she was told. She quickly slid out of view. Out of nowhere, a giant set of razor sharp, thick poled came crashing down on Escaflowne- one very narrowly missing Van.  
  
"Dammit, Hitomi! You're going to get us killed!" Van yelled again. "This fight can wait! But you won't gain anything from it here- you'll only get us, and many more killed." Van felt Hitomi stir out of her trance-like state within the cabin, and there came the whir of mechanics. In the blink of an eye, Van was riding behind Hitomi on the back of Escaflowne. The giant dragon took off into the air, and Van was pleased to note that the invisible attackers. But, from above, Van could see another guymelef appearing to confront the attackers, and the crazed voice say "So, we meet again, Allen Schezar." But Hitomi and Van flew away from that, leaving Allen to his own choices.  
  
"I cannot thank you enough, yet again, from preventing our heads from being sliced up," said Van, gripping Hitomi around the waist in order to keep from falling off. A pleasant tingle ran through Hitomi's body as the boy tightened his hold around her, and with a silly jolt of the stomach the queen was reminded of the previous events of the morning.  
  
"It's no problem," said Hitomi, trying her best to remain casual. "Just, please, whenever psycho pyromaniacs begin manipulating my mind like that, snap me out of it, okay?"  
  
"By any means necessary?" Van asked her, and Hitomi could just see the evil, one sided smirk crossing her face.  
  
"Any means," said Hitomi, gulping down her emotions, trying to ignore the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. "But, I might just have to get you back for them," she said, her voice going up a bit as Van wrapped his arms tighter around her.  
  
"I might just have to make you," he murmured, putting his chin on her shoulder and sneaking a sideways glance at Hitomi, who was doing her best to keep the guymelef from turning loop-de-loops in midair- like her heart. The young queen began to debate what to do- smack Van senseless, or let him carry on with his little charade. Both ideas were very appealing, so Hitomi just settled for neutrality.  
  
"Van, be careful. Don't bump the controls," she said as he idly toyed with a strand of her long hair.  
  
"I won't," he said innocently, legging go of Hitomi's waist and beginning to play with several sections of Hitomi's hair. Inwardly, the queen wondered what the hell Van was doing, but just let him be. An odd egg, he was. But, after nearly half an hour, Hitomi began to wonder just exactly Van was doing.  
  
"What on Gaia are you up to?" She asked, turning around to look at him for a moment. "Van!" she shrieked when she noticed that he had pulled what looked to be highlighters out of his pocket and had been idly coloring Hitomi's hair in a rainbow.  
  
"What?" Van asked innocently, dropping the last section. If Hitomi could have, she would have grabbed the ends of her hair and frantically inspected them, however, since both hands were at the controls, it was quite impossible for her to do so.  
  
"Remind me to kill you when we land," she steamed.  
  
"Are you going to torture me?" Van asked.  
  
"Yes," said Hitomi sullenly.  
  
"With a whip?" asked Van, sounding happy.  
  
"You're a bloody pervert, you know that?" Hitomi asked Van.  
  
"Proud of it," he replied. "So, anyway, I see it's getting dark, and there's no cities nearby," he said, becoming suddenly serious. "Are we going to have to camp out in the woods?"  
  
"Unfortunately, it seems so," said Hitomi, scanning the horizon for the telltale signs of a city. However, there were none.  
  
"I see. Yuck. I hate camping," said Van randomly. Hitomi shrugged, and looked for a good clearing where she could land.  
  
"There!" said Hitomi, quite suddenly, piloting Escaflowne downwards and landing quite neatly in a large meadow.  
  
"Good job! A meadow! No creepy crawly things dropping from the trees!" said Van exuberantly, hopping off the guymelef as soon as it landed, and stretching like a cat. Hitomi couldn't help but stare as the muscles rippled below his red shirt, but she quickly tore her eyes away and busied herself trying to find Van's 'magic track bag,' which she had found outside Van's fortress and stowed away in her guymelef.  
  
"Look what I found," Hitomi said, tossing him the bag.  
  
"Hey! My magic track bag!" said Van joyfully, opening it up and digging through. "Lets see- gym clothes, walkman, towel, deodorant, playing cards- great! Everything's here!" he said, and Hitomi hopped down from the guymelef and roughly snatched the towel away from Van.  
  
"I' going to find a spring and take a bath," she said, unsheathing her sword. "You come and sneak a peek and you're dead," she said with a glare. Then, she turned and exited the clearing, in search of a spring of some sort.  
  
"Right! I'll just stay with Escaflowne then," Van called after her, and Hitomi ignored him. She searched through the woods, making sure to leave a clear trail in case Van needed to find her for some odd reason or other- which Hitomi hoped he didn't. She was, apparently, lucky, because she found a spring within fife minutes. She tested the water, looked around carefully for any onlookers or spirits, and then slipped off her corset, tunic and pants. She submerged herself in the water, clothed only in black shorts and a white string halter top that she always wore, just in case her wings.. Hitomi sighed, and hung Van's towel over a nearby tree, submerging herself in steam.  
  
"What a day," she muttered to herself, leaning back against a rock and staring up at the starry sky, specifically the two moons hanging above.  
  
"Earth- the Mystic Moon. I wonder if Van'll ever get back there," Hitomi muttered to herself. With a jolt she realized that in the time she had been soaking and staring at the sky, it had gotten completely dark. Hitomi sighed and stood up, grabbing Van's towel and wrapping it around herself, inhaling it's scent. She then remembered her hair, and looked desperately to the multi-colored ends.  
  
"Dammit," she muttered, dipping her hair into the water and trying to scrub the ink out. But, no go. It wouldn't come out.  
  
"A thousand curses upon him!" Hitomi muttered angrily, tossing down the many strands of her hair in exasperation. "It'll just have to go." The queen pulled on her clothes, tied her corset loosely, and slung the towel around her shoulders, reviling in the smell of Van. Soapy and clean, and meadow-y smelling. It was nice. Hitomi shook herself out of her daze, slipped on her boots, and made her way back to the guymelef and Van.  
  
"Dammit," Hitomi said to him upon her return. "What did you use? Permanent ink?" she thrust her hair into Van's face, and then noticed that he had managed to make a camp fire.  
  
"Yes. no.. maybe. It depends on whether or not it's a good or bad thing," said Van meekly. Hitomi growled angrily, and sat down in front of the fire.  
  
"Do you have any scissors?" she asked him in exasperation. Van dug through his bag for a moment, and then triumphantly pulled out what looked to be a red oval.  
  
"Swiss army pocket knife," he said happily, pulling a pair of scissors out from within it. "Here you go!" Hitomi looked at the scissors skeptically.  
  
"Merle should be doing this for me," she muttered, and began to snip at her hair. She couldn't go before the king of Austaria with rainbow hair- she would be a joke. Long strands of rainbow and gold fell around Hitomi as she snipped. Done with the deadly task, Hitomi shook her head, lighter by far than she was used to, and fluffed her short hair with her fingers.  
  
"How does it look?" Hitomi asked Van, who was gawking at her.  
  
"Really.. Good. Great. Fantastic." He stuttered, his jaw hanging open.  
  
"I'm glad you think so," she said, climbing up into Escaflowne. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go to sleep," Hitomi said, curling up on the floor next to the single bench running through it. She looked wildly around for some form of something to cover her, but there was nothing.  
  
"Hitomi, what are you doing?" Van asked her. She irritably popped her head up, looking over the edge.  
  
"Trying to sleep, that's what," she replied. "Now, if you don't mind."  
  
"Come sleep down here," Van said, patting the ground next to him, where he had laid down a blanket he had pulled out from who-knows-where.  
  
"I would, but there's only one blanket, and you'll try to make a move on me in my sleep or something," Hitomi said, but shivered, realizing it was quite cold away from the warmth and light of the fire.  
  
"I won't- I promise," said Van. Begrudgingly, Hitomi hopped off the guymelef and sat down on the blanket next to Van. She sat there and stared at him, unsure if he had any ulterior motives or not. Knowing him, most likely, but Hitomi decided just to let it drop.  
  
"Go on, sleep," Van said, gesturing to the blanket and giving Hitomi a smile. Slightly unsure of herself, Hitomi curled up in the fetal position under the blanket, still cold. She loosened her corset and discarded it- her insides would be mush in the morning if she wore it overnight. But, still Hitomi was cold, curled up on the hard ground. The only warmth was from the fire, which Van was stoking with twigs. Hitomi decided to ignore the cold, and instead concentrated on trying to get to sleep. But she couldn't. Every second the cold and damp sank into her bones, making her freeze. Van heard her shiver, and turned. Subconsciously, she made sure that her tunic was laced up all the way, and looked at him.  
  
"You're cold," he said after some time.  
  
"No shit, Sherlock," she said, mimicking a phrase he had said earlier to her. Hitomi liked the ring of it, even if she didn't know what it meant. Van smiled, and scooted over by her. Hitomi was unsure of what to do, but allowed him to approach.  
  
"It's really freezing out here," Van said, rubbing his arms a bit. "I guess you can't sleep?"  
  
"No," Hitomi shivered, getting colder still. The leaping of the flames illuminated Van's concerned face.  
  
"I'll be fine," Hitomi said. Van snorted.  
  
"The hell you will!" he said, and then crawled under the blanket next to her. Hitomi stiffened, wondering if he was about to try something, and had to work very hard to keep from gasping as he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"What are you doing?" she gasped out.  
  
"It's cold. We need to preserve heat. This is the best way- the fire will eventually die," he said logically to her.  
  
"Mm," said Hitomi, feeling greatly warmed. She looked up, his face barely an inch away from hers. "Tell me about the mystic moon," she said, burying her face in his shoulder. And Van began to speak, telling of things Hitomi never would have dreamed- no guymelefs, but the ability to speak with someone thousands of miles away with no effort. To be able to watch people on a screen, but no swords. Creations of mass destruction, monuments of beauty. And just as Hitomi looked up at him in awe as he began to describe the beauty of the cherry blossoms of spring, he looked down at her, and their eyes caught in a heart-stopping gaze.  
  
"Beautiful," Van said, the last word rolling off his lips and floating through the nighttime air. Hitomi wasn't sure if he was talking about the trees, or her, but she didn't care. She was drowning in the ruby pools of Van's eyes, the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. Before she knew what had happened, he had bowed his head and closed the space between them, locking his lips with hers. Hitomi was too surprised to do anything, but was depressed when he pulled away.  
  
"You need to sleep," he whispered in her ear, and Hitomi smiled to herself as she put her head on his shoulder, and slowly drifted off into dreams of Raven hair and ruby eyes.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"That was great!" called Dilandau, hopping joyfully out of his guymelef and spinning around once. Miguel hopped down as well and covered up Dilandau's eyes with his palms.  
  
"Okay, you're going to have to bear with us. We're getting the final touches for the party ready.." Said Chesta.  
  
"Hooray!" called Dilandau, smirking to himself as he heard many crashes, bangs, and curses.  
  
"B-but-" came the unmistakable stutter of Folken.  
  
"Is everything ready?" Gatti hissed.  
  
"Almost," replied Dallet.  
  
"Done!" cried Guimel. "Miguel, you can let him see now." Miguel removed his palms from Dilandau's face, and the albino blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision, and smirked. Folken was dressed up in full clown attire, complete with purple trousers`, yellow shoes, a flame thrower and a big red nose; there was a gigantic red cake with nineteen burning candles on top, and there were red and silver streamers decorating the room.  
  
"Happy birthday to you," the Dragon slayers began to chorus. Dilandau smiled exuberantly as the men finished their song, and then Gatti gave Folken a swift kick to the rump. Muttering angrily, the man came forward, honking his horn and shooting flames around.  
  
"In honor of Dilandau's nineteenth birthday," he said in a dull monotone, "I hereby bestow upon thee. a tickle me Elmo." Folken held out his hands, and Dilandau had to work hard to keep the tears at bay.  
  
"Just what I wanted!" he said, dancing insanely around the room. He the propped the elmo against one wall, and grabbed Folken's flame thrower, and fired the fuzzy red doll, smiling to himself as he whipped out corny phrases such as "hee hee hee! I love you! That tickles!" Dilandau wiped the tears from his eyes as the men cheered, and then proceeded to bury his face in the cake, scarfing it all down at top speed.  
  
"This is the best birthday ever!" he cackled, and then proceeded to light as many things on fire as possible, whilst Folken blearily honked his tricycle horn and the men cheered.  
  
A/N: ssh! *looks right and left* I'm not supposed to be on the computer! But this chapter was irritating me all day, so I began working on it the second that I got home from school. Likey likey?  
  
FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I LOVE EVEN MORE THAN DILANDAU AND HIS ELMO:  
  
Fireangel: hurrah! I'm glad you loooove it. This was quite an ultra fluffy chapter, some of which was based on disturbing personal experience, and, yes, Allen is STUPID. Dilandau sends many thanks for the happy birthay, and also a flamethrower. Yay.  
  
Aeka-himme: nah, you're the one who actually has to deal with it now. *whistles and hides bazooka behind back* Yes, I do think it was the nasty high school ideas. I hope you liked the Folken clown scene! And, yeah, this was a way early chapter. But, go me! Review review review! LoL.  
  
Pink Cherry Blossom: was the outcome of the duel satisfying? I can't really describe sword fights very well and crap, but, yeah. And, hon, you haven't hit the tip of the Dilandau birthday iceberg. *insane cackling* hahahaha!  
  
Naria: yay! I'm glad you love it!  
  
esca chick: I agree on the entire "Allen. perv. manwhore asshole" thing, so, yeah. Was this enough Dilandau birthday party for you? Or do I need to write more?  
  
mara-slytherin: o_O wasn't expecting you to review, oh bestest buddy 'o mine. And, I really don't know if my grandpa'll be okay. I hope he is. And, yes, Van/ Hitomi rules. Slash sucks. HA!  
  
FINAL A/N: wow. The only reason I'm able to publish this now is because my parents are at the hospital, visiting my grandpa who got pnemonia. I'm really very depressed about this, and I hope he'll be alright. I'll try to sneak on to the internet more often if everybody reviews more. Come on, let's get to 50!!!!! I love you all (except Mara, who is a pain ^____^) so, please, make me smile with your insane reviews. .ahem. that is all. 


	7. Dehydration, Hymotherpia, Exhaustion, St

A/N: HOW MY DAY WENT~ I woke up at three a.m. when my baka neko wanted to play with me. Went back to sleep at four. Woke up again at seven. Hauled my ass out of bed, finally got to bus stop at 8:07. Mentally abused on bus. Got to school. Latin. Blah- no brain. Orchestra- blah., No brain, but my school did win almost 100 medals in UIL on Saturday, so, yay. Went to lunch,. Tried to remember what dear friend Shawn got expelled for last year, but brain was still turned off. Went to English, had a test over Mythology. Blah. Found out average was an 82. Blah. Went to dance and dehydrated, nearly passing out and sweating more than is healthy. Blah. Cleaned up, got on bus, fell asleep for half an hour. Woke up. Spent another fifteen minutes trying to get home. Blah. Got home. Got yelled at by mom when tried to make a joke. Came upstairs- got yelled at again. Read reviews and squealed like the pathetic little fan girl I am. Sorry, but I've been feeling kind of pessimistic today. I'll go into the good parts of my day maybe at the end of the chapter, maybe not, Sorry to always use these A/Ns as rants, but I need an outlet of some sort and I am too lazy to start a blog. So, blah. On with the torturous fluff.  
  
Disclaimer: Blah.  
  
SEVEN  
  
Hitomi awoke the next morning to the sweet kisses of the sun dancing upon her eyelids. For one of the first times in her life, she felt happy as she awoke. Complete. She then realized that she was enfolded in a pair of strong arms. She second noticed that the arms belonged to Van. She third noticed that he was still asleep and looked like an angel. She lastly noticed that a faint blush tinted her cheeks. Hm. Why would she be blushing? OH yes- because she was sleeping with Van. Wait..Sleeping with Van?!?!?!? Hitomi resisted the urge to hop up and find a stick with which to beat the horny boy away, but instead decided to check that all her clothes were on. They were, and her tunic was still tied tightly.  
  
"Whew," exhaled Hitomi, and unfortunately remembered that she was sleeping on the ground, and that she had to get to Palas. She sighed, and attempted to disentangle herself from Van. This proved to be difficult, however, because he only looped his arms around her waist as she struggled, sighing happily and leaning his head against her chest, a small smile on his face. Hitomi turned beet red.  
  
"Let go! Van, could you please move." Hitomi said urgently. But no matter how much she wriggled, Van had her in a death grip. The young queen had but barely succeeded into moving into a more comfortable position when Van opened an eye.  
  
"Good morning princess," he yawned.  
  
"That's 'queen,'" said Hitomi, still blushing furiously. "Please let go. You're making me very uncomfortable."  
  
"But I'm perfectly comfortable," said Van, closing his eyes again and pulling Hitomi up to him. "Is that better?"  
  
"No. We have to get going to Palas, Van, if we want to make it before noon."  
  
"What's so bad about noon? Why not one, or two, or three," he yawned, "or maybe even tomorrow?"  
  
"Because if you don't let go of me, I'll."  
  
"You'll what?"  
  
"."  
  
Van smirked at the flustered queen. "Wow. What a threat." Hitomi glowered as Van sleepily closed his eyes again.  
  
"Please, Van," she whispered, though she was fully aware that she was fighting a losing battle against him.  
  
"Just stay a little while longer," he murmured. "Then, I promise, we can leave and I won't do anything."  
  
"Promise?" Hitomi asked quietly.  
  
"Mm," muttered Van, falling asleep once again. Hitomi would have smacked her forehead if she could have, but she was unfortunately incapacitated. Or, possibly, fortunately, but Hitomi would never admit that to anyone. Not even herself. But, still, deep inside, Hitomi wondered if she was still dreaming, due to the fact that the series of events starting from Van's odd behavior on the guymelef to the present time. And last night. was that a dream too? Or was she denying her feelings- no! There were no feelings. None. Hitomi wormed closer to Van. Nope, no feelings. She laid her head on his shoulder. He was just a boy from the mystic moon. And, a very good pillow at that. Ignoring the little voices in her head, Hitomi remained where she was, wishing deep within her that she could just remain this way for eternity.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Dilandau was sprawled happily on the couch, dreaming of towering flames when he felt a body land rather roughly on him.  
  
"Oof," he said, detesting being awaken so violently.  
  
"Hiiii!!!" he heard a fangirl-like squeal. He opened his eyes, rubbing them around the rims, and gawked.  
  
"How did you get in here?" he stuttered at the girl standing in front of him. She was tall, with ruby red hair and equally red eyes- just like Dilandau's. She was tan, and dressed all in scarlet.  
  
"Simple. I just snuck in using the back door," said the girl. "I'm Ruby, and I'm here to."  
  
"Murder me?" asked Dilandau, being rational for once due to the extreme oddity of the situation. For one, the Vione didn't have a back door. For two, the girl was carrying an extra large flame thrower with a bright red bow on it.  
  
"Nope! I'm here to hook up with you," she bounced. "And, if you say yes, I'll give you this flame thrower.."  
  
"Yes! Yes!" cried Dilandau, leaping forward and huggling the flame thrower.  
  
"Hey," said Ruby, "Aren't you supposed to be huggling me?" But, of course, she got no answer because Dilandau had set out to test his fireproof galoches to see if they really were fireproof.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Is that everything?" Van asked, shoving random things into his track bag.  
  
"I think," said Hitomi, tightening her corset over her tunic. She sucked in a great breath and yanked it as tight as it would go- but not too tight. Just enough to keep her decent.  
  
"That looks terrible," commented Van, who had been watching shamelessly. He smirked as Hitomi turned slightly pink.  
  
"It's very rude to watch a lady dress," said Hitomi.  
  
"I don't see a lady," said Van, looking right and left. Within seconds, Hitomi had whipped out a large paper fan out of an inconceivably small place and smacked Van rather violently over the head with it.  
  
"Shit! Is that Yukari's fan?" he asked. Hitomi shrugged, and instead glared at him over the top of it.  
  
"I don't care. It's fun, though. But, yes, this corset thing is a pain."  
  
"You know, I had to study that in history and it supposedly rearranges your insides."  
  
"I don't ever tie mine that tight," muttered Hitomi. Van shrugged and tossed his 'magic track bag' up into the guymelef.  
  
"Great for you. So, where is this palace?"  
  
"It's called Palas, and it's the capital of Austaria. We'll appeal to the king there, and hopefully acquire enough force to overtake Zaibach."  
  
"Oh, Zaibach, right. Aren't they the morons that attacked us?"  
  
"Repeatedly, yes," glared Hitomi, hoisting herself up into Escaflowne. "You comin'?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," said Van, struggling up into the guymelef, not so graceful in his antics as Hitomi. The queen sighed and held out her hand to Van, who gratefully took it and clambered over the edge of the guymelef into the cockpit.  
  
"Hang on," said Hitomi, and suddenly, the guymelef jerked upwards, sending Van careening into the side of the robot.  
  
"Ow. Where'd you learn to drive?" Van asked, rubbing his head and sitting down on the bench behind Hitomi.  
  
"Doesn't matter. I just want you to concentrate on the fact that your life is in my hands here," Hitomi said, sprouting a wicked grin. "I could live through some of the stunts this crazy dragon could pule, but I'm certain you'd be dead."  
  
"I rubbed off on you," Van said, startled. Hitomi shrugged.  
  
"I guess." They rode on through the wind, Van clutching to Hitomi's waist because not only was he worried that she might try one of those crazy stunts, but also because it was sort of fun, being able to manipulate her like that. True, it was slightly on the perverted side, but, hey, that was Van. High school horny extrodinare.  
  
"We should be at Palas in about an hour," called Hitomi over the roaring of the wind.  
  
"That's great!" Yelled Van. "I can't wait to get out of this cold wind." And then, quite suddenly, it began to rain.  
  
"DAMMIT!" yelled Van. It had been a beautiful day, sunny and cloudless, and then they had gotten into the air. The wind had chilled down, the sky had darkened, and now, damn rain was soaking Van to the bone, freezing him like an icicle. And the freeze cut him to the bone, until his very existence was ice, and then black. He was falling, falling. but out of nowhere, a figure dove down, angel wings pumping furiously behind them, hand extended to him. Van reached out to catch the hand, and..  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"He just sort of keeled over," said Hitomi nervously, wringing her hands and chattering at the princess Millerna. "And he started twitching and mumbling and I really seriously didn't know what to do. DO you think he'll be alright? Oh, I'm so worried, maybe he got hurt in the battle yesterday at the fortress, but I didn't think so. I swear that I did everything I could to help him, he's not sick is he? Is he going to die? Oh, god, don't let him die because-" Hitomi was cut off as Millerna slapped her sharply across the cheek.  
  
"Hitomi! Snap out of it. Van will be fine. His body was weakened by the stress from yesterday, but he should be fine," Millerna said, smiling secretly to herself. The queen's icy wall was being melted slowly by this boy from the mystic moon. "He has minor cases of dehydration and hymotherpia, but a day of bed rest and he'll be fit for travel again."  
  
"Good. I wouldn't want him slowing me down," said Hitomi, coming to her senses, extremely embarrassed that she had let her cool slip. "Can I go see him?" she asked, working hard to keep the hopefulness and pleading out of her voice.  
  
"Hold on," said Millerna, poking her head into Van's room, which they were standing outside of. "Yeah, sure. He's still asleep, but you can visit if you want," said Millerna, smiling slightly as Hitomi scampered inside.  
  
"Hey Van," Hitomi said softly, pulling a chair up next to his bed. "Seems like we've gotten into a habit of doing this, hmm?" she asked after Millerna shut the door. "You had me really worried when you passed out like that, did you know?" asked Hitomi, looking out the window and not noticing the small smile beginning to creep up on Van's sleeping face. "I tried to wake you up, I even landed, but it seemed like you had slipped into the land of the dead. I brought you here, to the castle, and they said it was hymotherpia, dehydration, exhaustion, and stress. And you know what? I'm glad that it's not as bad as it could be." Van shifted in his sleep, and Hitomi looked back down at him, smiling at the innocent look on his face. "I'll stay until you wake," said Hitomi, leaning back in the chair and watching him. She was lost in her thoughts for an eternity as she gazed at his face, but was jerked out of her thoughts as Van slowly stirred, mumbling something under hi breath. He was obviously still asleep, and Hitomi cracked an evil smile as she remembered the last incident when she had tried to awaken him.  
  
"Van," she whispered softly.  
  
"Myrrrrrrrmmmppppphhhhh," he said.  
  
"Van, what do you think of the queen Hitomi?" Hitomi tried again.  
  
"Aaaaahhhhhhh. Hitomi," he sighed, smiling. Hitomi cackled evilly in her mind. She may have a soft spot for this boy, but she would still have fun with him.  
  
"Is Hitomi pretty?"  
  
"Very pretty. Yukari would be jealous. Like jello." Hitomi wondered at the statement, but brushed it off and continued talking.  
  
"Is Hitomi tough?"  
  
"Tomboy, but a hottie," Van murmured through the land of his dreams. Hitomi sighed exhaustedly. This was getting her nowhere. She decided to try to find out other things.  
  
"What is your life on the earth on the mystic moon like?"  
  
"Mother... cruel. Fail... Yukari science lab blow up.." Yes, Hitomi definitely needed a translator. So, he was saying that his mom was mean, he failed.. Failed school. And his friend Yukari must have blown up the science lab. Ouch.  
  
"Do you ever want to go back?"  
  
"Huhhhh?" Mumbled Van, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. "Go back where?"  
  
"What? Van, I think you were dreaming," said Hitomi, covering up for her blunder. Van shrugged, shaking his head.  
  
"God, I'm thirsty.. Get me water," he said.  
  
"Get your own water," snorted Hitomi indignantly. Van regarded her with sparkling brown red eyes from where he had propped himself up against the pillows. Hitomi made a face halfway between a scowl and vampire fangs, but stomped off and got Van's water.  
  
"Where are we, by the way?" asked Van curiously, peering around the room.  
  
"We're in Palas, at Austaria."  
  
"I passed out, didn't I?" Van asked, completely out of the blue.  
  
"Yes," said Hitomi, handing Van his water. "You really freaked me out."  
  
"Did I now?" Asked Van, smirking over the rim of his cup. Hitomi scowled again.  
  
"Yes. You were crying like a little girl," Hitomi said, improvising. Van snorted out some of his water.  
  
"What? I never cry!" he said as Hitomi wiped the spray off her face with disgust.  
  
"Can't you take a joke?" Hitomi asked Van as he grinned sheepishly at her.  
  
"Sorry. No, I can't." Van said. Hitomi snorted and threw her hands into the air.  
  
"I give up. Dealing with you is like dealing with a small child," she ranted.  
  
"Avery hot small child."  
  
"Yes- I mean, No! You're obnoxious, and rude, and."  
  
"Hot?" Van offered. Hitomi snorted un-intelligibly, turning a pink shade. Van seemed to enjoy her discomfort.  
  
"Listen here. Don't doubt that I have the power to kill you. So, I would recommend you don't push me," she said, slipping on her "I'm the queen of the world and you will die" mask.  
  
"You have the power," said Van, cracking a small smile, "but you don't have the heart to kill me. For one, I'm your obligation and you can't hurt me. For two," Van said, the smile becoming a large, evil grin, "you've grown close to me, and we both know that you can't kill those you lo-"  
  
"Shut up!" Yelled Hitomi, hopping up and glaring at Van.  
  
"Ah. I see you're awake," said Millerna, walking into the room and quietly closing the door behind her.  
  
"How could you tell?" asked Hitomi, turning to the girl. Van could only stare.  
  
"Raised voices, crashing noises.. Usually follow you everywhere, Hitomi. Hi, I'm princess Millerna," she added, smiling at Van. "I don't believe you remember our last meeting.  
  
"Ab, ub, hi," stammered Van, turning tomato red. Hitomi glanced from Van to Millerna to Van again, threw up her hands and stomped out of the room.  
  
"What about me, Van?" she asked angrily, more to herself than to anyone else. "What about what you said in your sleep, or the way you teased me and treated me. What about me?" she raved, storming through the hallways. "So, It's because I'm not perfect and dainty and a delicate little daddy's flower. But I've had life harder than her, Van, and I don't need you.. Argh." Hitomi growled, tears bubbling down her cheeks. She stepped out into the light of the courtyard (the rains had long since ceased,) and made her way to the royal training arena. As she suspected, she found plenty of 'pigeons' milling around, playing with swords.  
  
"Hey!" Hitomi called out to the many war-hardened soldiers. They stopped what they were doing and looked at her- a woman was hardly ever seen in this area. "Does anyone feel up to a match?" Hitomi glared around. No answer. She took a deep breath.  
  
"I grant a wish to he who defeats me," Hitomi said, wondering if she would regret her words.  
  
"I'll fight you," said one oafish, heavy brute, stepping forward. Hitomi smiled grimly. 'great, just great.'  
  
"Done," said Hitomi, stomping off toward the armory.  
  
"The queen of Fanelia does not hide from her enemies," Hitomi muttered to herself, strapping on the last of the bulky protection provided for training. She put her hand on the hilt of her sword and marched out into the light of the training ring. The stands were partially filled with the many men who had been mulling about, looking for a fight. Hitomi looked down at her tiny, fragile-seeming figure, and smiled to herself. Being so lithe would give her an advantage. Unexpected power over the enemy, and that advantage was worth a thousand lives in battle.  
  
Out came the incredible hulk, clanking in his armor. He pulled out two large, double edged swords, and Hitomi sighed as he gave her a leer. She put her hand to her forehead, and let her sword arm drop.  
  
"You know what?" she called to him. "Spare me the theatrics and your pity. You can have one open shot at me- I won't attack you until afterwards," she said over the din of the hooting of the men. The Hulk grinned and licked his lips.  
  
"Okay. But remember, one wish." Hitomi shuddered at the thought of what was most likely running through his head, but steadied her legs as the disgusting man came running at her. At the last moment, she raised her sword and blocked his shot, and then jumped backwards with little effort. Was this guy for real? Almost lazily, Hitomi swung back at him, causing a nick in his left leg. The Hulk let out a howl and charged at her.  
  
"You'll pay for that, you bitch!" He said, swinging at Hitomi's head with his right sword. She blocked that, and jumped over the left blade which tried to chop off her feet. Hitomi sighed- it was time to stop fooling around. Strike, parry, strike. Her deadly dance had begun, and it was all that the Hulk could do to keep his head from being sliced off. With a mighty wrench of the blade, Hitomi sent one of His swords flying, and continued to fight him, pushing him back towards a corner. The blades clashed with loud rings, sending spots of light dancing off the reflective blades. Hitomi gave another wrench and sent the other blade flying. The Hulk stumbled backwards, lost without his swords, and then fell to his knees. Hitomi pointed her sword at his throat, giving it a tiny little flick so that a minute stream of blood ran down his Adams apple.  
  
"I win," she said. The Hulk bowed his head, and Hitomi backed away, sheathing her sword, her stress greatly relieved. She then remembered why she had come to Palas in such a hurry, and ripped off her helmet.  
  
"Oh, god," she said, dashing away, her short, dirty blonde locks streaming behind her. "I've got to go see the king."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: Aarrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!! My dad has decided that my computer is a really really good computer to play on, despite the fact that it is IN MY ROOM!!! (my room = forbidden territory). So, now, I have to kill something, because I'm NEVER ALLOWED ON MY COMPUTER! Because my dad is always doing some stupid fruity thing.. I want to use some very colorful language but I don't want to offend anybody, so, GR! I hate my life right now. I have three tests next week, and I got a 73 on my algebra test which was ONLY ON TUESDAY. I'm thinking that I should provoke Hitomi into slicing my head off. Hmm. Very entertaining thoughts...  
  
TO EVERYONE WHO LOVES ME:  
  
CinderellaxVan: fluff is good. And I'm glad you like my portrayal of Van! He's a little horny, more than a little crazy, but we love him anyway! And, yes, Allen is an idiot. Bah! I'm still trying to decide what to do with him in the end. Any ideas?  
  
esca chick: you, my beautiful little reviewer, are NASTY! Sorry I didn't have much about the 'everlasting birthday party' in this chapter.. I'll put total insanity in the next chapter, okie?  
  
Dariel: yes, it was sweet, and fluffishly wonderful. Yaaay for fluff! I love my psycho Dilandau. He's great. Did you like the clown idea? It's okay that you didn't review the last chapter, believe me, I know the feeling of having too much work. *see Final A/N for more detail *snicker* and thanks for the bag of sympathy... *puts it on head all happy like*  
  
hitomi21: thanks for the support, did you get the email?  
  
Fireangel: wait!!! Don't kill him yet! He's a major character. But I promise you can have him at the end of the story *cackle* hahahahaahahaha! O_O right then. I'm glad that you're glad that I'm glad that you love this story, LoL!  
  
Ruby: was this chapter satisfactory?  
  
Feye Morgan: ssh!!! *claps hand over thine mouth* don't spoil it!!! And Allen was trying to wound Van very very badly, heh heh. But, yeah. I'm happy you liked the next chapter, too. Maybe when I go through and re-write this story (after I actually finish) I won't have her cut off her hair, but, yeah. That happened to me once.. *glares* it wasn't very fun- the school yelled at me. And, also, I'm glad you liked the tickle-me-elmo thing, and, yes, the entire Folken in a clown suit situation is highly amusing. Thanx for reviewing!  
  
Aeka-himme: fluff scenes are good. I'm glad you liked the tickle me elmo thing. Hurrah! And you might not be getting any early chapters for a while. see the final A/N for more info. And, I'm glad you love this fic. People loving my work makes me happy!  
  
Naria: wow! Three reveiws! Yes, that was a sort of short chapter. I hate short chapters. *mentally kicks self* I'm also glad you liked chapter 5. And, yes, I did have to do that to the poor tickle me elmo. But don't worry.. IT LIVES! I'm really very happy that you like the story, thanks a ton for reviewing.  
  
Rod G: tail or tale? *snicker* sorry, just have to say that. Anywhoo, thanks a lot for your review.  
  
FINAL A/N: Gosh, whenever I write this I feel like I'm wrigin "final aeon" or something from FFX. Dork. Anyway. I HAVE REALLY REALLY BIG NEWS! Over the course of the week I will be writing chapters 8, 9, and 10. 8 and 9 will be published A.S.A.P, but 10 will be published on Valentines Day, And, here's the best part. you send me a hug in your review and a request and I write it in to Chapter 10. But nothing too insane (ex: allen riding flying cows or smut), and I can only write so many people into my story. So, yeah. But, I have more happy news, so, yay. I GET UNGROUNDED a week from Valentines day. Hurrah! But, that's not the fun thing. This is: I'm working on something that I'm calling a "freedom dispatch". It's a whole bunch of fics- all of which I will publish if I get ungrounded (which I most likley will) And the best part is.. Most are escaflowne fics. So, yes. I might be grumpy and over worked for a while, and now you all know why! If anyone would like to help me out, or possibly just like to contact me about anything, feel free to AIM me or email me at: writ3rsbl0ck@hotmail.com!!!! Remember, I love you all!  
  
~Azure 


	8. Cinderella, Sky Diving, and Dilandau's W

A/N: Hooray! Chapter eight! Goooo me! *dances around and cheers* I'm happy. O_O I'm also wearing a denim skirt, which is a first, LoL. Nah, it's only laundry day, and the weather is beautiful outside. Sixty-three degrees!!! Feels great compared to the twenty it was yesterday. We got snow. In Texas. That shows that nothing is impossible- only improbable. But, yes. The things I do for you, my dear reviewers. I have begun staying up until, like, 2 am just to get another chapter written. But, then again, I might do that because I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! Right, on to the tale of troubles.  
  
Disclaimer: . ha! I wish.  
  
EIGHT  
  
Hitomi sighed and pushed the last of Allen's luggage aboard the airship. Just how much stuff did the guy need? Plus, there was the addition of Millerna insisting that Hitomi be more ladylike, despite the fact that she was fighting against the most powerful nation in Gaia. The insistent princess had packed Hitomi no less than thirty different dresses, twenty pairs of shoes, three pairs of pants, three tunics and a single belt. The young queen sighed in frustration as she shoved Allen's last large trunk of who-knows-what into the cargo space.  
  
"Where are we going again?" asked Van, magically popping up out of nowhere and nearly scaring Hitomi to death.  
  
"Freid," said the young queen, letting go of her sword. Van nodded, pulled his odd cap over his eyes, shoved his hands into his pocket and sauntered off. Hitomi sighed again, and pushed a strand of semi- colored hair out of her eyes. The knight Allen had magically appeared in Palas with his airship and crew, wooed the princess and offered the king his services- namely, shipping Hitomi and Van all around the world. Hitomi was almost sure that there were ulterior motives, but was too lazy to figure anything out. She had other things on her mind- like how to kill the prissy blonde knight if he came anywhere near her. And, also, how to ignore Van, even though her heart slammed violently against her rib cage. After Hitomi had addressed the king, begging help against Zaibach, Van had been tailing her around constantly. And of course, she was cold and distant, and acted as though the entire experience in the woods had never happened. And, frustratingly enough, Van completely ignored this behavior, acting as if it were perfectly normal. The idiot. He was clueless as to Hitomi's feminine emotions- first asking what was wrong, then shrugging off her angry huffs, and third, tailing her around like a lost puppy. Maybe he was feeling insecure. If he didn't leave Hitomi alone, though, she'd give him insecure. Ha ha.  
  
"Hitomiiiiii," called Merle, dashing up the ramp and tackling her surrogate older sister.  
  
"Ouch, Merle, get off, you're strangling me," Hitomi gasped, trying to pry the little cat girl off her neck. Merle, however, was insistent.  
  
"Lady Hitoooommmiiiiiiii, where are we going?" Merle had shown up not long after Van and Hitomi, and had taken to tackling the queen at odd moments.  
  
"Freid," said Van, helping Hitomi pry Merle off. The queen stood up, the cat sliding off of her, and walked away.  
  
"Don't I at least get a thank you?" Van asked.  
  
"No," called Hitomi over her shoulder, stomping away in search of a good place to hide from Allen, Van, and Merle.  
  
"What'dja do to her, huh?" Hitomi heard Merle ask Van in a growl.  
  
"Wha? I dunno!" yelled Van. There was a distinct ripping noise, and "shit! Merle, that hurt! Those were my only blue jeans!"  
  
"Your problem," replied Merle. Hitomi smiled, shaking her head, and continued inside the airship, walking briskly, hoping Van wouldn't notice her tactic. Hitomi was lucky- he was too busy arguing with Merle. But Hitomi felt and arm come around her shoulders, and stiffened.  
  
"Hello, your highness," said a smooth voice near her ear. Allen.  
  
"Let go of me," said Hitomi coldly. Where was Van when she actually needed him?  
  
"Why?" asked Allen, though he loosened his grip on Hitomi's shoulders.  
  
"Because I have about a thousand different ways to kill you if you don't," said Hitomi with a growl.  
  
"Ah, you wouldn't do that, my little tulip," said Allen, making Hitomi nearly gag. "Because, you see, my dear, you need me."  
  
"I don't need you, or anyone," Hitomi said insistently. Allen stopped and spun Hitomi around to face him.  
  
"You need me, queen, whether you like it or not. I'm your transportation around the world. You couldn't get too far in that guymelef- you'd eventually exhaust yourself. And, you need me," Allen said, running a finger under Hitomi's jaw, "in body and support." Allen then leant in and tried to kiss Hitomi, but was met by a slap.  
  
"I am not yours, Allen. I never will be. I belong to nobody, I need nobody," she said angrily, stomping off down the corridor.  
  
"You need me, Kanzaki," Allen called. "In body and soul. You'll see," Allen said, grinning to himself. "You'll see." And cackling to himself, Allen made his way down a side corridor into the dark.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van stopped dead in his tracks. He had been boarding the airship, chasing after Hitomi and running from Merle at the same time, when he has seen Allen come up behind her, put his arm around his shoulders, then spin Hitomi around and make an attempt at kissing her. He had been slapped, Hitomi had stomped away, but Van had heard the low mutterings of Allen, and instantly known that Hitomi was in trouble.  
  
"Hitomi! Wait up!" Van suddenly called, jerking out of his thoughts and chasing after the queen. "Are you alright?" he asked her. She spun about to face him, her eyes bright and red with unshed tears, anger radiating from her.  
  
"Do I look alright?" she snapped angrily. Van was taken slightly aback, but after several years of dealing with a PMSing Yukari, knew that Hitomi was just being overly emotional and difficult.  
  
"No, you don't. Do you want to talk?" he asked her, putting on his best 'compassionate friend' voice. It had worked millions of times with Yukari, but apparently, not with Hitomi.  
  
"No. Just leave me alone, Van," she sniffed, stomping away.  
  
"What'd I do?" asked Van in disbelief, looking after Hitomi and hitching his magic track bag up on his shoulder. Now he was almost positive he had some something, due to Hitomi's distant behavior.  
  
"Girls. Can't live with them," he grumbled, and then cracked a vampire grin. "Can't live without them, either. What the hell." Van took off down the hallway after Hitomi, again, and then dashed in front of her, walking backwards so that he was facing her.  
  
"Look, if it's really bugging you that much, just hit something," said Van, holding his arms out. Hitomi gave a snort, her eyes still bright with unshed tears.  
  
"Don't you ever give up?" she asked, swiping madly at her eyes with the back of her gauntlet hand.  
  
"No," said Van. "If it'll make you feel any better, hit me." Van held his arms out wide, wondering if this tactic would work. Hitomi glared at him, and then punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.  
  
"Shit, Hitomi, You really pack a punch," said Van, doubling over slightly and putting both hands on his 'abs of steel' as he had always called them. Hitomi maneuvered around Van and stomped away.  
  
"Ah, I'll talk to her later," Van said, slowly straightening out and carefully removing his hands from his abdomen. Carefully, though, he followed the sound of Hitomi's footsteps, thinking she would lead him either to her quarters, or to the bridge. To her quarters, of course. Van memorized which door it was, and then set off down the hallway in search of the bridge.  
  
"Stupid Airship. Like a maze," Van muttered, realizing that he was only going in circles. "Pah!"  
  
"Lady Hitomiiiiiiii," Van heard. He turned the corner and wound up in the same corridor as Hitomi's room, and spotted Merle banging against the queen's door.  
  
"Go away," yelled Hitomi. "Nobody would look upon the face of a weakling!" Dammit, that weakling crap again? Van sighed in exasperation. She was impossible. Just.. Uuuuuurgh! Van had decided that this was it. Hitomi was more stubborn than even his mother, and could sometimes be twice as bitchy.  
  
"Move it," growled Van, shoving Merle out of the way. She looked affronted, but refrained from attacking Van. Van looked Merle over, and then snatched a pin out of her vibrant pink curls.  
  
"Hey!" she said.  
  
"Shut up," said Van, kneeling in front of the doorknob, shoving the hairpin in, and listening to the tumblers. He jiggled the pin in the lock, and waited for the telltale click that eventually came.  
  
"How'd you to that?" Merle asked as the door magically swung open.  
  
"Magic from the Mystic Moon," replied Van, tossing her the pin.  
  
"Magic?" asked Merle, confused. Van walked into the room, and looked at Hitomi, who was sitting on a chair and glaring out the window.  
  
"How did you get in here? Just, leave me alone," she snarled, pulling a book out of a nearby bookcase and chunking it at Van's head. Van nimbly dodged it, and made his way forward, moving out of the way of flying objects.  
  
"Eep!" Merle said as a vase crashed against the wall near her head, and she was out of the room in a flash, closing the door behind her.  
  
"What's your problem, Hitomi?" Van asked. Somehow, this seemed vaguely familiar.  
  
"I already told you what my problem is," Hitomi huffed, throwing "The Encyclopedia of Austarian Hair Gel" at Van. He hopped aside, and continued forward.  
  
"Is the entire Allen situation your problem? You're not weak, Hitomi. You're one of the strongest people I've met, if not the strongest."  
  
"Easy for you to say," she growled, this time throwing "The Encyclopedia of Hair Care" at Van. He dodged this, too, and was hit smack in the face with "You and Your Underwear." Van peeled it off his face and showed it to Hitomi.  
  
"Allen has weird taste in books," he said. Hitomi smiled, laughed a bit, choked, and threw another book at Van. He dodged this, too, and reached Hitomi's chair. She let the book she was going to smash Van over the head with fall to the floor as he put his hands on the arms of the chair and lowered his face towards hers.  
  
"Get out of my face," Hitomi growled.  
  
"Not until you get over yourself and tell me what is up your ass," Van said in reply. Maybe not the toughest statement, but still. Hitomi looked to the side, her eyes dulling.  
  
"I can't tell you," she said quietly, her anger slowly ebbing.  
  
"Don't you trust me?" Van asked her, imploring her to answer with his gaze. She turned her eyes back to him, which were now more angry than sad. On instance and without a moment's thought, Van lowered his face to hers and kissed her gently on the lips. A single tear rolled down Hitomi's cheek, and she lunged at him, burying her face in his chest.  
  
"My people are all dead, my country is destroyed. I have a mad knight trying to do me every chance he gets, and I don't know hoe I'm going to get through any of this," Hitomi cried, lunging forward and clinging to Van's chest. "My parents are dead, Van. They were dead for most of my life. Ten years ago, after my father died, my brother Folken went to complete the rite of dragon slaying. Do you know what happened to him, Van? He fled. He died a coward. My mother wasted away, pining for him and my father. I was five, Van, when my family died. Five! And I had to begin making choices for my country at the age of seven. I was hardened by politics at nine, but was not strong enough to complete the rite of dragon slaying for six more years. But I had to grow up the second my mother died," Hitomi cried. "And here I am, sobbing like a weakling. I'm a queen, a warrior, and I'm not supposed to cry. I'm a failure. I wasn't able to protect Fanelia, and I won't be able to protect you. I don't even know where to begin, Van, on exterminating Zaibach, and I'm equally hopeless on how to get you back to the mystic moon." Hitomi sobbed harder, and was unable to speak. She clung to the fabric of his shirt, and Van wrapped his arms protectively around her, like he had done before after she confessed about Allen. He considered spewing out some corny fact about girls being highly emotional that he had been forced to learn in sex ed, but heavily decided against it and instead chose to rock her softly back and forth, whispering comforting things to her and rub her back. After a while, Hitomi's sobs subsided, and she looked up at Van with watery eyes. Van smiled down at her, and her eyes turned cold.  
  
"You can leave now," she said. When Van didn't move, she slapped him with all her might, causing him to stumble backwards and put a hand to his cheek. "Get out," she growled, pushing him out of the room and slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Shit! What the hell happened?" Van asked, clutching his red cheek and staggering off down the hall.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hours Later found Hitomi sitting in the same chair, still fuming. How dare he? How dare he just take advantage of her like that? She had made a mistake, a possibly fatal error. She had shown her weak side. She, Hitomi Kanzaki, Fanelian War queen, would show no weaknesses. Anyone who saw her weaknesses must be killed. And there were only two, aside from her surrogate sister, who had ever seen her in a state of disarray: Van and Allen. They had to be punished, and Hitomi had to never, ever slip up again. She would become stronger- yes, that was it. She would defeat Zaibach alone. She would destroy anything and everything in the way of her goal. Hitomi smiled grimly to herself, but was exhausted by the venting of emotions. She plopped down on the poofy bed, pausing only briefly to look out the window at the landscape moving far below, and fell into an exhausted sleep.  
  
Several hours later, Hitomi awoke to the violent shaking of the ship, and large explosions coupled with yelling. She sat up, still in her normal attire, buckled on her sword and hopped out of bed and ran into the hall- where there were people dashing around, frenzied. Hitomi made her way to the bridge, where Allen was fighting desperately to keep the ship in control.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked, alert.  
  
"Zaibach attack," responded Allen, for once not showing any sexual interest in her. Hitomi gripped the hilt of her sword.  
  
"You mustn't go out, lady Hitomi," said Allen.  
  
"I don't care. There are innocent people on this ship. They're after me," said Hitomi. "I'm going to lure them away.  
  
"You can't!" cried Merle, looking up from a bucket where she had been emptying her stomach.  
  
"I can, and I will," said Hitomi, turning on her heel and striding out of the room. 'A bit melodramatic, but it has to be done,' thought Hitomi to herself.  
  
"Hitomi!" Van called, jogging after her, Hitomi wasn't really in the mood to deal with him at that exact moment, but she turned to face him any way.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van was taken aback by the cold in her eyes. This was a completely different Hitomi than the hysterical girl he had confronted only hours earlier. Van took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm coming with you."  
  
"You aren't," said Hitomi, putting one hand on her waist and letting the other dangle next to the hilt of her sword. "You'll get us both killed."  
  
"Please, Hitomi. I can sense the invisible enemy," pleaded Van. "They're after both of us, these Zaibach idiots. If I come with you the air ship will be spared." Hitomi snorted.  
  
"More like your precious princess," she said, and turned and walked away again. Van stared after her, and the cogs in his head would have been turning had the situation not been so serious. He grabbed her upper arm.  
  
"I'm coming with you, like it or not," Van insisted.  
  
"No, you're not," said Hitomi. "I refuse to bring you in Escaflowne. It's far too dangerous."  
  
"Dangerous my ass!" yelled Van. But it was too late- Hitomi had stormed away. Van tried to follow her, but found that the frenzy of panicky crew held him back.  
  
"Hitomi!" he yelled, but it was too late. He had lost her. "Damn," he cursed to himself. "If she gets captured by Zaibach.." Van didn't care to finish that sentience, partially due to the fact that it was dreadful, and also because he had just gotten an idea. A very good idea, too. Without any hesitation whatsoever, Van dashed off towards the storage room for the guymelefs. If Hitomi wouldn't take him along, he'd go after her himself. He pushed through the halls with new purpose, making his way to the docking bay. He saw Hitomi boarding Escaflowne, and smiled to himself, walking up to one of the large guymelefs standing around, completely dormant.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" yelled Hitomi through the cabin of Escaflowne as Van boarded one of the random guymelefs.  
  
"I'm coming with you, like it or not!" yelled Van, hopping rather clumsily into the pilot's seat.  
  
"The hell you aren't?" Hitomi yelled. Van merely closed the visor, and then looked around at the many mechanical.,. things.. Surrounding him, and gulped. He had always been slightly chlosterophobic, and this certainly wasn't helping.  
  
"How do you work this thing?" Van asked, causing Escaflowne to reach up and slap itself in the head.  
  
"Okay, mister stubborn," yelled Hitomi, showing up how much Van had really rubbed off on her. "I'm going to take you with me, but don't blame me when you're falling fifty thousand feet down burnt to a crisp.  
  
"Yes!" yelled Van, hopping out of the cockpit of the other guymelef and clambering up onto Escaflowne's shoulder.  
  
"Hang on," yelled Hitomi grumpily, zooming out of the docking station and allowing Escaflowne to begin to free fall.  
  
"HOLY SHIT!" Wailed Van as they plummeted towards the ground. But then came the clanking of mechanic, and instead of squeezing Escaflowne's head to death, Van was clinging to Hitomi.  
  
"This'll be a rough ride, Van," yelled Hitomi over the wind as the guymelefs previously attacking Allen's ship zoomed after them.  
  
"Shit shit shit shit shit," muttered Van repeatedly over his breath as Escaflowne was forced to turn loops in midair to avoid certain death.  
  
"We're going to have to outrun them," yelled Hitomi again. Van could only just nod- he was feeling rather sick from the intoxicating, sickening roller coaster-imitation ride. But it was worde- thousands of times worse. Van loved roller coasters, but absolutely hated this.  
  
"I'm going to die," he whispered to himself, and passed out. Escaflowne cut through the air like a blade, quickly outrunning it's pursuers. Hitomi found it awkward and hard to drive with Van's bulk against her, and quickly hauled him forward so that he was sitting just in front of her, leaning against her arm, as she flew through the air. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to lose the last Zaibach pursuer. Exhausted and sick from the insane loops, Escaflowne sunk to the ground, carefully lowering it's passengers to the ground with a mother's tenderness as Hitomi passed out onto the bench behind her.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Dryden!" shrieked a tall brunette, dashing into said merchant's office. She doubled over, puffing, her hands on her knees. She had just run the length of the whole damn castle, and was going to get some answers.  
  
"Yes, Cinderella?" Dryden asked his sister, taking in her angry cheeks. Her brown hair was held high in a thick ponytail that fell past her knees, the end curling out ever so slightly. She was wearing a tight, sleeveless black turtleneck shirt and baggy beige pants, and was glaring daggers at her older sibling.  
  
"You sold the mermaid? You sold our mermaid- which I paid half for?" she practically wailed. "How could you?"  
  
"All life is precious. She needed to be free," said Dryden.  
  
"The hell!" shouted Cinderella, slamming her hand onto her brother's desk. He peered over the rims of his glasses at her, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "The only reason I agreed to help you buy her in the first place was because you said you wouldn't let her go! Now she's just going to get recaptured and sold again to some idiot with high testosterone levels.."  
  
"Please, calm down Ells," Dryden said, using his pet name for his sister. Cinderella only glared at her brother. She took several deep breaths, her chest rising and falling below the tight elastic bands of her shirt, and she tried again.  
  
"When daddy finds out what you did," she said, "he won't hesitate in letting me shred you limb from limb."  
  
"What ever you say, beloved sibling," replied Dryden with a smile. Cinderella glared at him through slitted eyes, and then scowled.  
  
"And shave, dammit! When was the last time I saw you without stubble?" she snapped, and turned and marched from the room, the heels of her large black combat boots doing nothing to mute the loud stomping. Cinderella stormed down the hallway, and purple waves of fury seemed to radiate from her head. Her bangs were in her eyes, making it almost impossible to see the deadly sparkle in them. Many servants gave the girl a wide berth, and Cinderella in turn ignored them. She made her way to the barracks, where she strapped on some light armor over her arms and chest, grabbed a sword, and went out to train.  
  
"Sir," said a quaking soldier. Cinderella whirled to face him.  
  
"What?" she snapped.  
  
"We- we were instructed to alert you to any Zaibach activity, sir." The soldier quailed under Cinderella's angry glare.  
  
"And???" she asked, her dark lined eyes frightening the poor soldier half to death.  
  
"We- we just recently received a transcript from the Crusade, sir, alerting us to a Zaibach attack, sir."  
  
"Damn," cursed Cinderella, snatching the transcript form the terrified soldier's shaking hand. "Dismissed," she barked, and the soldier was apparently trying not to dash away as he headed to the barracks. Cinderella's eyes scanned the transcript, and she cursed in the most unladylike language on Gaia. Had Hitomi been present, she would have been greatly impressed. But Cinderella had never met the queen of Fanelia, and had no way of knowing this. Instead, all she knew was that her friends were in grave peril. So, without bothering to remove her armor or let go of her sword, she stomped back into the castle, back through the long corridors, and kicked open the doors to her brother's office once more.  
  
"Hello sister," he said, acting pleasantly surprised. "What have you come to scream at me about now?" Cinderella snarled at her brother, because today was not really the best of days for her, and flung down the transcript instead. Dryden picked it up and read through the paper, lines of worry creasing his forehead.  
  
"Zaibach attack.... .. Two missing. ship greatly damaged.." He muttered, reading random words out loud. "Millerna.. Millerna? My fiancée was on board?" Dryden asked, looking up at his sister, apparently surprised.  
  
"Yes, Dryden. Our fiancées were on board," said Cinderella, putting special emphasis on the word 'our.' Cinderella and Dryden's father, who the siblings both agreed was most likely mentally ill, had engaged both to rich blonde idiots- Dryden to the bimbo princess Millerna and Cinderella to Allen, the most destetable man in Gaia. "They'll undoubtedly be stopping here for repairs. SO, brother, what do you suppose we do," she asked, fidgeting with her gloves. Cinderella twined her mother's wedding ring around her finger, a nervous habit that many of the locals found incredibly sexy. Dryden just thought it was annoying.  
  
"Repair their ship, of course," replied Dryden, reaching forward and prying his nervous sister's hands apart. "So, my younger sibling-"  
  
"Don't call me that," snapped Cinderella. "We're twins. I'm only a few minutes younger than you."  
  
"But you're younger all the same," replied Dryden with a small smirk. "So, my dear TWIN, are you up to an adventure?" he asked. The expression on Cinderella's face changed from anger, to confusion, to comprehension, to an evil grin.  
  
"Hell yes," she said cracking her knuckles and gripping her sword happily. "I've always wanted to dice a Zaibach soldier in two."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi awoke to something heavy, warm, but slightly comfortable on her chest. She lazily cracked open her eyes, and it took all her willpower to not scream out. Van was laying.. Passed out. on top of her.  
  
"Yech," said Hitomi, her performance fooling even herself. She carefully slid out from under Van since the bench was only so large, and sat on the edge of the guymelef, hate and jealousy coursing through her veins. Before she could stop herself, she began to speak.  
  
"Van.."  
  
"I hate heights."  
  
"Van, what do you think of the princess Millerna?" Van shifted slightly, his words muffled.  
  
"Bimbo. slut. not my type," he muttered. Almost instantly, Hitomi's anger and jealousy vanished- but some still remained.  
  
"Van... Van, wake up," Hitomi said, deciding that her behavior was irrational.. Milking things out of Van while he was sleeping.  
  
"Mmph... wings.. I can see an angel." Van muttered. Hitomi drew in her breath and checked behind her. No wings. The psycho boy must have just been having a very odd dream. Or maybe a vision. Whatever it was, Van was quickly jerked out of sleep. His eyes went wide and his body tensed up.  
  
"Hitomi, you should run," he said. Hitomi shook her head.  
  
"What? No, Van, we're safe from Zaibach."  
  
"Run dammit!" screamed Van, pushing Hitomi off of the guymelef. She landed rather hard on her rear end, and glared up at the alarmed Van. "Hitomi, you have to move. They're coming.." He said. Hitomi shook her head, but Van's behavior was unnerving. But then, there it was. The buzzing sound that she could never, ever forget. The mechanical, whirring, clicking sound embedded in her bones. There was a guymelef coming. Hitomi would have jumped up at that very moment and dashed away, had not she been so paralyzed in fear. As it was, she was quickly snatched up by an invisible hand.  
  
"Van!" she yelled down, looking for the boy from earth. But she could see him nowhere, and supposed that he must have hidden safely away from the guymelefs. Hitomi slouched down in the hand of the guymelef that became visible when they entered the air. Van was wrong. She was weak. But instead of crying, as any normal girl would have been prone to do in a situation such as this, Hitomi stored her anger in the back of her mind, ready to unleash when the best opportunity arose. Until then, she would just have to comply with the wishes of the Zaibach empire. Comply, but scheme all the same..  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Dilandau quickly hid his tickle me Elmo behind his back as Ruby came stomping into the room.  
  
"Dilandau, what on earth are you doing?" she asked him, taking in his groom's attire.  
  
"N-nothing," he squeaked as Ruby squinted at him.  
  
"There is cake on your face, you're wearing cologne and a tux. And finally, your guymelef has a "Just Married" sign tied to the back. Would you care to explain this to me?" Ruby asked in a patronizing tone. Dilandau shifted his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably, and his worst fears were confirmed.  
  
"You were cheating on me!" yelled Ruby. She then saw the Elmo behind his back. "Give me that," she said, snatching the doll away.  
  
"A bride's dress?" she asked in disbelief. "You were trying to marry a Doll?" she shrieked, and then threw the Elmo out the window and stomped out of the room in an overly emotional show of desperate need for attention. And, of course, Dilandau had no choice but to follow her. Ruby, not the Elmo, that is.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: Well? What do all you wonderful, wonderful reviewers think? I love you all so much- I was in such a bad mood today but your reviews made me grin all happy and big-like. I love getting reviews, and here are my many, many thanks to everybody!  
  
esca chick: actually, Ruby asked me to put her in the story, so, yeah. And, yes, she is a bit of a comic relief, but more of a counterpart to Dilandau (she also helps everything he does seem much, much more insane, LoL!) Did you like this chapter? I hope you did, since I had to throw it together in no time flat.. *fretting* Okay, well, I can't wait to get your review!  
  
CinderellaxVan: please refrain from kicking my ass to Mexico. I don't like spicy food, which is really very sad. Off topic. I hope you liked Dryden's sister. I full well intend for her and Van to have an.. Ahm.. Relationship to make Hitomi jealous, like Hitomi and Allen did in the series, LoL! And as much I'd love to make a perverted, Horny, blah blah blah clone of Van, I'm afraid that I can't due to the fact that it is along the line of the "flying cow" thing. And as for Allen's idiotic thingy.. That'll be next chapter. But I don't grant any more wishes until you update "For Love". Good fic, that is. So, yesssss. And maybe after you do that I'll write a special Van/Cinderella fic just for you! And do you know why??? . that's funny, I don't know, either!  
  
Fireangel: yes, yes, Allen is yours, I promise! And I'm glad that you're glad that. bah! Screw it! Just, thanks for the review. I hope this update was soon enough.  
  
Dariel: *does a happy dance* Did you like the tickle me Elmo thing? It fit perfectly into the entire Dilandau-is-insane scenario. Don't worry, the Elmo will come back. More fun. And as for Folken going to clown school.. *snicker* That's a very good idea. Wish I thought of it. SO, here come the dragon slayers in the next chapter with Folken in a straightjacket and clown nose? Uh oh.. And, also, Millerna is NOT one of my favorite characters so I'm going to try to have minimal bimbo time. Blah. But there's many, many troubles ahead for our favorite couple.. *snicker snicker* HAHAHAHAHAHA! O___o no more tea for me.  
  
Aeka-himme: dude! I want a van plushie! Whered'ja get it???? And, the Millerna thing.. Don't ask. Do you have any 'wishes' for the rest of the story? Remember, no flying cows, but anything else is probably good. I write most stuff that is suggested and can fit into the story line.. (( what story line?????))  
  
Feye Morgan: thine wish art granted! Is this update soon enough for you? And no, those horny idiots didn't know Hitomi wasn't a queen, so, blah. And the credit for the galoshes idea goes to my evil younger sibling, who thought it up for me. She has an odd galoshes fetish.. Arg. But, yeah. Anywhoo.. O_o;;;  
  
FINAL A/N: Okay, my next update will probably be Wednesday-ish, and Friday morning is the latest I'm taking requests. So, hurry up and send me a hug. But don't choke me. *glares in Dariel's direction* yes, yes, yes. Review. I love reviews. They make me happy and break my writer's block (which I get A LOT.) So, review! Send me happy stuff, or even just email me with random comments or even just to say hello, Hell, I don't care. But I love hearing from you guys. My sister had to duck tape my mouth shut earlier because I was smiling so much from you guys.. LOL. But, yes. Review and I write faster.. Well. Unless I get caught. Expect next chapter by midnight on Wednesday(central time)! Hopefully I'll be able to upload it, because Fanfiction.net's mood swings are even worse than mine. and that's saying something. But remember, I love you all and will do all in my power to update. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Especially the people that review. Okay, enough rambling. I've got go work on chapter 9...  
  
~Azure 


	9. Beware Falling Elmos

A/N: Yay! *big smile* I'm almost to chapter 10! Hurrah hurrah! I had such a good day today. despite the facts that my twin sister (blood twin, not biological twin) was sick today, I was feeling yicky myself, my friend "Michie" was in hysterics all day because her best friend is pissed at her, I had two tests and had to go to the counselor's office because I forgot some papers. Ah, the papers were no big. The lecture was only, like, two minutes long. Hurrah! It's something in the air, I tell you! Spring time is coming, I can feel it! Or I might still be recovering from wearing a skirt the other day o__O summery. But, yay! Good day! I even got to go to Costco to get valentines. Go me! And, plus, I only got yelled at once, lectured twice, and I GOT LOTS AND LOTS OF REVEIWS!!!!! YAAAAAYYYYYY! Happy me, happy me, I get to go to the symphony tomorrow! Hurrah! The orchestra, band, choir and the seniors are all going. And this is a VERY good thing because a certain bishounen who I have had a crush on for a year is in the band (drum line, too! Some say he's a prodigy) and so are many of my close friends. Also, Michelle is in the choir, so I'm happy. Too bad that I'm missing Orchestra and Latin for it. Those are fun classes. I wish I was missing English.. Blah. Oh well. You can't have everything.. *drools after Bishounen*  
  
Disclaimer: You've got to be joking.  
  
NINE  
  
"Ouch!" said Folken, rubbing his head where a missile had hit him rather roughly in the head. Folken picked up what had fallen next to him- a tickle me elmo in a bride's dress. Oh. Ruby must have walked in on "Dilandau's Wedding." Folken himself had steadfastly refused to have anything to do with it whatsoever, and was now on his way to clown college, with five dragon slayers trailing him with flame throwers- just in case.  
  
"How did I get myself into this?" Folken sighed, rolling his eyes as Ruby's angered voice echoed down from a window above. Folken wasn't quite sure how or why she had shown up, but one thing was for certain: she sure as hell wouldn't leave of her own free will. Besides, Dornkirk said she could stay, and that she would come in useful. Eventually. Folken really didn't want to think about how long that would take, considering that his nerves were stressed more with each coming day. Just one more straw.  
  
"Hey, boss, did I tell you I captured some chick the other day?" asked Miguel quite suddenly. Folken shook his head.  
  
"Why did you kidnap an innocent girl? The sorcerers didn't tell you."  
  
"No," said Chesta. "They didn't. We were having a fun attack on Allen's ship and all of a sudden her guymelef zoomed out. So we followed he, and captured her."  
  
"She'd make a valuable asset is she can fly a guymelef," said Folken thoughtfully. "Did you get her name?"  
  
"Hitomi or something.." Said Gatti vaguely. Folken's throat went dry.  
  
"Did she have dirty blonde hair and eyes like emeralds?" he choked out. All five of the dragon slayers nodded.  
  
"You fools!" roared Folken. "That's queen Hitomi of Fanelia!!! Take me to her," he barked.  
  
"Uh, yes sir, right away sir.." Mumbled Dallet, leading Folken to the dungeons. One more straw...  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi sat up suddenly as the door creaked open. She wasn't afraid, well.. At least, not too afraid. She had full confidence in Van, and Allen, and... nobody. She had gotten herself into this mess, and she would get herself out. Subconsciously, Hitomi reached to grip her pendant- but it was gone. The chain must have snapped after the chase! Hitomi seriously hoped that the pendant had fallen off and landed inside the guymelef- it was the only thing that Hitomi had left of her mother.  
  
"Hello, your highness," came the dark and mysterious voice of a man. Hitomi stared around, the flickering candlelight in her cell illuminating very little.  
  
"Who are you? Why have you taken me captive?" Hitomi asked in a deadly low voice, groping for her sword but only to be depressed. She had left it in Escaflowne. Damn.  
  
"Oh, little Hitomi. You've changed so much," said the voice, moving into the flickering orb of light. Hitomi willed herself to stand her ground as she glared at the man- he had green hair and a purple teardrop tattoo below his right eye.  
  
"Who are you?" Hitomi asked guardedly. In the shadow of the flames. Two great wings burst forward, showering black feathers all over the queen.  
  
"It is I, Folken. Your brother." Folken said, and then sucked his wings back in.  
  
"You are no brother of mine. You are a traitor to your people and your country," replied Hitomi snappishly. F Folken walked over to his sister and placed both hands on her shoulders, gazing down into Hitomi's face. Hitomi met the sad orbs of her older sibling, but showed no emotion.  
  
"Come, sister. Join Zaibach with me. Together, we can change fate. We can unlock the power of Atlantis. We can save the world."  
  
"You don't save the world," spat Hitomi. "You will only destroy it. Fate was not meant to be changed."  
  
"We should create our own destinies," replied Folken. Hitomi looked away at the wall, and her brother let go of her.  
  
"Think about it," he said, and left the cell, closing the cell door with a snap. Unbidden, tears fell from Hitomi's cheek. She slowly keeled over onto her bed, where a tiny pinprick was visible in her arm. The queen felt dazed, and she rubbed where the cold metal of her brother's hand had touched her flesh before she fell unconscious.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Shit," muttered Van, staring upwards and shaking his fist at the heavens. "Damn you, Zaibach," he seethed angrily. "Don't worry Hitomi, I'll get you back." Van hopped up into the guymelef, casting his mind about for possibilities of Zaibach invisible enemies. There were none. He pulled some levers and pushed some buttons, but nothing happened.  
  
"Damn," he muttered, as if the guymelef were deliberately disobeying his orders. He glared about the cockpit, and noticed a tiny sparkle of pink. He lunged forward and snatched it up- it was Hitomi's necklace. Quite suddenly and on a random impulse that had most likely governed most of Van's life, he clasped it around his neck, still thinking angry thoughts and wondering how the hell he would get himself out of this mess this time. Quite suddenly, a column of white blue light descended from the sky and engulfed Van, Escaflowne, and Van's magic track bag, lifting them heavenward to god knows where.  
  
"Van!" cried Merle, lunging forward and ripping at Van with her claws the moment he landed in the Crusade. "Where's Hitomi-sama?"  
  
"Zaibach got her," replied Van simply. "They kidnapped her."  
  
"Noo! Hitomi!" wailed Allen melodramatically, clinging to Millerna who patter him awkwardly on the head. "We have to save her!"  
  
Merle and Allen were crying in a display of disgusting dramatics; Van couldn't help but groan inwardly.  
  
"Well, this is lucky," said Millerna, disentangling herself from Allen's hysterical embrace. "We're going to Dryden and Cinderella's; maybe they will help."  
  
"Cinderella?" Van snorted, the hysterics of the situation finally getting to him.  
  
"Dryden's mother was from the mystic moon, and loved the fable, though I don't know how it goes." spoke Millerna defensively.  
  
"Cinderella," Van sobbed, rolling about on the ground and laughing like insane. "Hitomi.. Kidnapped... Zaibach.. Insane pyro..... wings... Rainbow hair.. Cinderella, hahahahahahahahaha!" by now, Van was not laughing, he was crying hysterically- which was most humiliating since Van was a boy and not supposed to cry. However, as Van tried to calm himself down, his hysteria only grew worse and he had to be led off to a quiet room by Merle to calm down, though she was hardly in better shape.  
  
"Don't worry, Van," Merle said once she had managed to collect herself. She was still slightly hysteric, but obviously trying to be helpful. Van only rocked back and forth like a wild animal.  
  
"How can I not?" he hyperventilated. "You didn't see it! She was lifted into the air by this great invisible hand and then a guymelef appeared and she was.. Just.. It's all my fault! I didn't warn her soon enough.." Van said very quickly. He opened his mouth to say more but was met instead by the slap of Merle's hand.  
  
"Snap out of it!" she screeched.  
  
"Shit! That hurt!" yelled Van, calming down a great deal.  
  
"Good. Now, have you been restored to you senses?" Merle asked, baring her fangs. So much for friendly. Van only sulked. "I'll take that as a yes, then," she stated. "If Hito-sama was telling the truth and you really can.. See. things, then I suggest that you do everything in your power to help us find her. Or else," she added, contracting her claws. Van gulped and nodded.  
  
"Y-yes ma'am," he said, nodding his head vigorously, giving himself a slight headache. Merle only glared.  
  
"We'll be at Dryden's any minute," she said, sauntering out of the room and swishing her tail. "I suggest you make yourself presentable, as his twin sister Cinderella is equal in temper as Hitomi, and not too far behind in swordsmanship." Van gulped yet again. Another Hitomi? This could prove to be interesting, even if slightly dangerous..  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"You're proposing that you can help us?" asked Dryden, peering over the rims of his sophisticated glasses at Van.  
  
"Yes," said Van, shifting his weight about from foot to foot.  
  
"Impossible," snorted Cinderella. Van couldn't help but stare- perfect, gleaming chestnut hair, beautiful face, and a body to.. Van mentally shook himself. This wasn't the time or the place. Remembering that Hitomi was in trouble, Van calmed down a great deal.  
  
"Dryden," Cinderella implored her brother. "Look at him! He's got to be at least five years younger than us, he wears the oddest clothes I've ever seen, and he looks weak enough to be snapped in half like a wishbone! Hoe can he be an asset to us?" Van glared at the spunky brunette. Maybe she and Hitomi were psychic twins- they were shockingly alike. Hmm..  
  
"This is no ordinary boy who stands before you," said Allen, pushing his way to the front of the room to stand next to Van. "It is Van Salazar de Fanel, from the mystic moon. He landed in Fanelia in the care of queen Hitomi, and is renowned as a seer."  
  
"Fanel, eh? And you landed in Fanelia?" asked Dryden slyly.  
  
"Odd coincidence," said Millerna, Van, Merle and Allen, each sweatdropping. Van was still in shock at Allen's standing up for him- maybe there were ulterior motives involved. Or, maybe he was just trying to be nice. Hmm..  
  
"Sister," said Dryden, turning to his sibling. "We will just have to see." Van smirked at the angry girl, who, in turn, stuck her tongue out at him in reply.  
  
"GO on then," said Cinderella, slamming a map of Gaia down on the table, making all jump. "Lets see what he can do."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
It had been six long, grueling hours since Van had sat down at the table in an attempt to find Hitomi. Through the time period, Van had not moved once. He had remained with his eyes closed, his right hand holding Hitomi's pendant over the map, his left hand clutching a strand of Hitomi's golden hair which had fallen into his track bag after she sheared it off when he had highlighted it. For the six impossible hours, the room Van was occupying had been silent, save for the sound of opening and closing doors, the occasional murmur or sigh, and Van's steady breathing. Sweat droplets were trickling down Van's forehead, but he did not notice them. He was deep within his mind, searching for Hitomi, his all concentrated solely on her. Van could sense the pendant swinging steadily back and forth, like a pendulum, never slowing down. Deep within Van's heart, there was a slight shadow of doubt that this would work, but Van had seen it on the Sci fi channel and was willing to try anything to help Hitomi.  
  
"How is he doing?" Van heard Millerna ask Allen outside the room.  
  
"Still trying," responded the knight. Van ignored them- Hitomi, and only Hitomi mattered right now. Right, left, right, the pendulum swung. Left. Right. Left. Right. Suddenly, Van could sense something, a vibration along the chain. It swung out, around, and far to the left, and stopped ram rod straight. Van opened his eyes, not perturbed by the oddity of the situation.  
  
"I've found her," he declared softly. Dryden jerked up from the papers he had been reading over, Cinderella's head shot up, lifting her hand from the blade she had been running her hand along, and Merle, Allen, and Millerna stared at the boy from the mystic moon.  
  
"She's there," said Van, pointing to an odd symbol on the map and then collapsing onto the chair. Only snippets could be heard by him, his exhaustion was so great.  
  
"There? How... Stealth..... No.. what?"  
  
"Not.... Crusade.... Idiotic plan.."  
  
"Fight... Zaibach.... Dilandau..." It was only odd noises to Van as his brain ceased to compute. Merle and Millerna walked over to Van, who had his head in his hands and was rubbing his aching temples, the pendant still draped from his fingers.  
  
"Are you alright?" Merle asked, beckoning Cinderella to join them from her debate. She snorted and stormed over.  
  
"Tired." mumbled Van, gazing at the three women surrounding him. Normally, his horny, perverted mind would have kicked in now, but he was too tired to think kinky thoughts. at least, not many kinky thoughts.  
  
"Would you like a drink, maybe?" asked Millerna.  
  
"Mmph.. Water," croaked Van. Cinderella stood up, her footsteps slowly dying away, then returning. Van felt a glass of water being placed in his hands.  
  
"Drink," commanded Cinderella. "And, thanks for helping," she added.  
  
"We've come to a decision," announced Dryden, looking up from his discussion with Allen. "We're going to sneak aboard, find Hitomi, and retrieve her from the enemy's clutches."  
  
"Excellent1" cried Cinderella, while Millerna looked disapproving. "I get to slice things up!"  
  
"Don't fight unless absolutely necessary," warned Allen. Cinderella glared. Dryden ignored the exchange and continued speaking.  
  
"You will leave tomorrow at dawn. I will have backup ready- just in case."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"What about me?" yelled Van, glaring at Allen. It was just after dawn, and they were stationed outside the Vione, floating high in the sky.  
  
"Stay here," said Allen. "Guard the ship."  
  
"But I can help!" protested Van as Allen hopped up into his guymelef.  
  
"Stay here with Merle. It's safer. We can't get you hurt, now can we?" asked Allen. Van glared at him as he soared away in his guymelef, and then turned to Merle.  
  
"Get me Hitomi's sword," he said. Merle looked at him oddly, but obeyed the order.  
  
"What are you going to do?" she asked as Van buckled it around his waist.  
  
"I'm going to jump it," said Van, pointing to the gap in front of him. Merle gasped.  
  
"NO way! You cant! What will Hitomi do if you're dead?" Merle asked. Van shrugged, tying the laces of his tennis shoes.  
  
"Not have to get me back to the mystic moon," he said, testing his weight. He stretched- a quick warm up, and gulped.  
  
"Here goes," he muttered, taking a running start.  
  
"Van, wait, you can't," screeched Merle. But it was too late, Van was running and couldn't hear her, and with a great leap he flew through the air towards the Vione, struggling to make it..  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi awoke suddenly, looking about her dim cell.  
  
"Hey, is anybody there?" she asked into the gloom- and then saw a guard leering at her through the bars of her door. Hitomi did her best not to scrunch against the wall in fear, and stood her ground as the guard entered the cell.  
  
"Heh heh heh," he cackled stupidly. Hitomi didn't hesitate to knock him out and take his keys- locking the cell door on her way out, leaving the unconscious pervert slumped over in the hay. Hitomi pocketed the keys and looked for a sword. She had to get out of here.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van continued to soar through the air, and time seemed to slow down, maybe even stop as he traveled through the wind. It seemed as though the gap were expanding before Van as he reached to the hold so close.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Ah. Kanzaki Hitomi," cackled an evil voice as Hitomi crept into a guymelef storage room.  
  
"Dilandau," Hitomi said simply, not having to think to place the voice.  
  
"Yes, yes. It's been a while since our last meeting," he cackled merrily. Hitomi stiffened at the memory of her Fanelia burning- she knew now that it had been he who had destroyed her home and her people. "I will be sure not to leave you alive this time," he said, narrowing his ruby eyes at her and drawing his sword as she did the same.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:. Van landed, soundly and securely on the cement of the hold, and skidded a few feet, landing on his knees and feeling warm blood blossom from the wounds. It didn't matter. He didn't even bother to turn around and wave to Merle, because he could feel something dark descending upon Hitomi. He ran as fast as he could, blindly turning through passages, hoping that he would get to Hitomi in time...  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A battle raged between the two fantastic sword fighters. Hitomi knew that she would be dead if Dilandau were able to touch her with his deadly sharp blade, and did her best to block every blow, while trying to make strikes on her own.  
  
"Hitomi!" she heard someone yell as she sent Dilandau to the ground, his sword flying. "Hitomi, watch out!" Hitomi jerked her attention away from Van and back to Dilandau just as he was about to strike with a dagger he had hidden in his boot. Hitomi flicked away with the sword, but cut Dilandau's face in the process. He let out a scream, like a hound, and lunged at the queen. But Hitomi turned and fled, alongside Van.  
  
"You came," she said, rather in a bit of shock. Van smiled.  
  
"Yes. I came."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts." Dilandau said, rubbing the bandage over the large gash on his cheek. "It hurts. It hurts."  
  
"Dilandau, sweetie, don't you think you'll aggravate it that way?" asked Ruby, dodging nimbly when he tried to smack her smartly across the face.  
  
"So you know my pain, eh?" he asked, glaring angrily at the girl.  
  
"No, I don't. But Folkie-sama found your elmo," said Ruby. Suddenly, Dilandau dashed forward and huggled it, greatly aggravating his girlfriend.  
  
"You could hug me once in a while, too," she snapped. "Or that scar the queen gave you would seem like nothing." Becoming quite alarmed, Dilandau lunged forward and half squeezed poor Ruby to death.  
  
"Better?" he asked.  
  
"Much," Ruby gasped, trying to breathe. Dilandau let go and then walked back to his elmo, sitting down contentedly in a corner and talking to the elmo about something or other, tickling it occasionally to get a reply.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"Freid bound we are!" cried Van, prancing around with a happy face. Hitomi watched him with interest, Merle's eyes followed him with her tail swishing, Millerna completely ignored him (instead choosing to flip through Allen's "You and Your Underwear" book,) and Cinderella snorted.  
  
"What?" Van asked, turning to face the four women. "I'm trying to lighten the mood."  
  
"It's light enough without your antics," said Cinderella, propping her legs up on a table, leaning back and pulling out her sword, using it to make reflective patterns on the walls.  
  
"My sister Marlene was queen of Freid," said Millerna, suddenly. "But now.. She's dead."  
  
"Dead?" asked Merle, tearing her eyes away from Van.  
  
"Yeah. She got a bad disease, and eventually.." Millerna sniffed a little, but continued. "She did leave an heir, though., He'll be five soon," she said.  
  
"What's his name?" Hitomi asked. Cinderella still chose to ignore them.  
  
"Chid," she responded with a smile. "He's a little angel."  
  
"Right," said Van, and then sat down next to Hitomi, poking her in the side.  
  
"Hey, Hito-sama?" he asked. Hitomi stiffened at the use of the crazy nickname, and batted his hand away.  
  
"What?" she snapped. Van shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. I just wanted to know what you'd do," he said, and then stood up, swinging his arms and stretching. "I'm boooooored." he groaned, causing all four women to sweatdrop. Cinderella stood up with a slam.  
  
"I'm going to go see how long it is until we get off this godforsaken airship," Cinderella muttered. Van followed her out of the room with his eyes, and heard her mutter "god, I hate heights." He turned smirking back to Hitomi, Millerna (who had gone back to "You and your Underwear," more specifically, the thong section) and Merle, who was cleaning herself. Hitomi's face looked pink.  
  
"Hey, Hito-sama, are you alright?" Van asked her playfully, bounding over to her and cocking his head. He was full of energy, enamored at his success and his chance to one-up Allen, and was thusly releasing it in hyperactivity.  
  
"It's Hitomi. And I'm fine," she said stiffly.  
  
'Damn straight you're fine!' Van thought, but did not say out loud. Instead, he put his hand to her forehead.  
  
"You're all flushed, and you feel a little warm. DO you want to lay down? I can get you a drink, if you want." he offered. Merle snorted. Millerna was oblivious, completely immersed in Allen's book.  
  
"I'm fine," she said, but her protests were in vain. When it came to someone close to Van, he wouldn't allow them to be sick or wounded without a fight. Switching into "mother hen mode" as Yukari had called it so many times, he pushed her back onto the couch she was sitting on, his hands pressing gently against her chest just below her clavicle.  
  
"Stay here, I'll get you a drink.. Merle! Get Hitomi a drink!" Van said, whirling on the little pink cat girl.  
  
"Why me?" Merle asked.  
  
"Because Hitomi is sick," Van responded. Merle got up begrudgingly and left the room, stretching and muttering mutinously. Millerna, her nose still buried in "You and Your Underwear," stood up and made her way out as well, mumbling something about tea.  
  
"Seriously, Van, I'm fine," said Hitomi, but Van wouldn't listen.  
  
"I don't want you to get sick!" said Van, plopping down on the floor next to Hitomi. She glared down at him.  
  
"I'm going to take my sword and slit you nose to navel," she said, scowling. Van only grinned, and then remembered.  
  
"Oh! I forgot to tell you. I found this in Escaflowne. I thought you might miss it," Van said, pulling the pendant out from under his shirt and unclasping it. At the sight of it, Hitomi's eyes lit up and she smiled brightly, taking the pendant from Van.  
  
"Thanks! I was so worried- this necklace means so much to me. It's all I have left of my mother," said Hitomi, looking slightly sad and fumbling a bit with the clasp. Van reached around and helped her fasten it around her neck, his fingers brushing her bare skin for an electrifying moment. Hitomi gazed up into his eyes, and then Allen's voice came on over the intercom.  
  
". no.. Cinderella! Give me that!!!! No, stop..." It was highly amusing to listen to the two stubborn idiots babble and argue with each other, but it had ruined Van and Hitomi's perfect moment. Both crossed their arms over their chests, fuming.  
  
"Anyway, what I'm saying is... dammit, Cinderella, stop! We'll be landing in Fried in five minutes, and the Duke's son will greet us there.. ouch! That hurt!"  
  
"Hahahahaha! Take that you blonde prissy."  
  
Van and Hitomi both sweat dropped, looking at each other, and then face faulted backwards. Cinderella and Allen. hell, Gaia didn't make sense. And Van was pretty sure that Hitomi fit very neatly into that category, but for some reason, he didn't mind.  
  
At least, not much.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: Well? Well? Whatdja think? It took me a LONG time to get this all figured out.. *points at gigantic cement slab with WRITER'S BLOCK" written on it* what a PAIN! I sat and stared at the computer screen all Tuesday night, and then wound up having to scheme this all up during school today. Bah! OH well. I went to the symphony today, and that was highly amusing, since I got to miss school, listen to people play happy instruments, and I even had a bishie spotting. Go me!... and, plus, that certain bishounen lives close to my house... *steals Alseides, cackling, and zooms away* Click the button in the corner to make me even happier. Oh, and for your enjoyment:  
  
I REALLY REALLY LOVE THESE PEOPLE:  
  
Pink Cherry Blossom: Oh, it's okay that you don't review that often.. Believe me, just about ANY review makes me all happy-ish. Yay for reviews. And I know the feeling of not being able to get online very often... *glares at parents* I'll try to work in the fight thing, and the merle thing, and, lets see, what else.. You can have the elmo at the end of the story, okieday? ^.^  
  
Feye Morgan: You'll really lend me Fred?!?!?!?!?! Cool! Hahahaha, I'm better than Bandai at this.. Not really. I couldn't come up with an original story on my life, LoL. I hope you like this update, LoL! And if FF.net doesn't let me update on Friday, random things in the story will burn. And that won't be good, because we all like to keep our inner Dilandau's at bay.. ^____^ hee  
  
Dariel: I'm glad you liked Dilandau's wedding. And the Elmos lived without your surgery, thank you very much... o__o - had nightmares about franken- elmo. Anywhoo, this is a V/H story, so, of course Hitomi and Van will end up together. In the end, at least.. *evil cackling* don't worry, it'll be fun. Painful, but fun... *mutters something about Cinderella and runs away cackling* see you in the next chapter/ review/ thingy!  
  
Esca chick: ouch... that IS a death sentence. Yeah, it'd hurt to marry both the blondie bimbos in the series.. . argh. But now Dilandau is happy.. Elmo lives on!!! *waves a happy elmo banner*  
  
Fireangel: LOL! I'm really glad you liked the chapter. hey, I try! And, yes, poor Cinderella indeed..  
  
CinderellaxVan: Yaaayyy!!! I'm happy you like it. I am joyful. And thank you SO MUCH for updating "For Love." That is such a good story!!!!!! Hurrah hurrah! *prances about waving gigantic yellow Japanese fans* yyyyaaaaaaaayyyyyy! I'm also glad you like Cinderella... hey, I really really make a desperate attempt at humor.. Blargh. T don't worry, I have different plans for Allen... *evil cackle* thanks for the review! Hahahahahahaha! ^____^ yay  
  
Aeka-himme: *wants Hitomi plushie, too* argh! Where did you get those things? I'm glad you liked the chapter, too..  
  
FINAL A/N: Okay, this is something random and you can completely ignore it if you want to. However, those of you maniac Escaflowne fans, read on! Today in Latin I was really really hyper and sproing-like, as usual. So, I was sitting there like the psychotic monkey that I am, chattering on and on to my friend Shawn about the gory glory of "Hellsing" (I was describing the 2nd episode.. Kind of gross, but still fun!) and a-random-guy-that-I-know- but-whose-name-I-cannot-remember just randomly spoke up and said that he should hook me up with Van. And my first thought was: "HOLY SHITTTTT!!!!! VAAAAAAAAAN! ESCAFLOWNE HOTTIE! SCORE!" but then I was jerked out of my pleasant little dream world when he started saying that he's exactly like me- hyperactive to the point of insanity, an anime fan, and... absolutely bonkers, to put it shortly. So, yay. Go bonkers! And even though Shawn said that if we actually had a relationship the school wouldn't last a day before imploding (yes, imploding o_O;;;) I'm still very amused at the idea of going out with a guy named Van who is supposedly the male clone of me. Lol! Fun stuff! SO, yes. I told him he can hook us up if he wants, because I think it would be very entertaining, if only to see where on earth this relationship would go. LOL! Okay, done. And, the symphony today was great, too, to that cheered me up. Shutting up now.  
  
SPECIAL THANKS TO MY EVIL YOUNGER SIBLING, WHO TYPED UP A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS FOR ME WHEN I GOT TOO LAZY! Ryosei's shout out: Hi to Vic Zhou, and all those cool Meteor Garden people ^.^ But especially Vic. 


	10. Guymelef Glue Makes for REALLY GOOD Snif

*-A/N: Finally. the much awaited chapter ten! Woot woot! For joy, for happiness.. *goes all 'love and peace' like a la Vash from Trigun* Okay then. Let the madness commence!  
  
Disclaimer: I hate these things. Uh, I don't own Escaflowne. ... I think..  
  
TEN  
  
"Woah! It's a little, midget type dude, duuuuuude!" said Van quietly, looking at the tiny boy sitting regally on the throne. Allen shot Van a glare.  
  
"You're being disrespectful," he snapped. Van shut his trap, but then immediately opened it again.  
  
"Dude! It's not like you're his dad." Van muttered, swaying slightly. That's right kids.. Van had gotten too close to some guymelef glue that Dryden had been applying to Escaflowne, and was consequentially very high, with even poorer judgement than normal. Twisted.  
  
"... You'll disgrace us," replied Allen. Van glared. Lord knew he was old enough to be the little midget-dude's dad. Sick.  
  
"Van, do us a favor and shut up," said Hitomi, who was walking on Van's right. "You'll get us kicked out of Freid!"  
  
"Sheesh. No need to get your panties in a twist." Hitomi only glared.  
  
"Hello! I welcome you to Freid on behalf of my father, who is out of the country at the moment," said the young duke, once they were in ear shot. "It's nice to see you again, Aunt Millerna."  
  
"Certainly speaks like a diplomat," said Van, astounded at the small child's vocabulary.  
  
"St!" Allen and Hitomi hissed. Cinderella dug her heel into Van's big toe, and Van bit down a yelp.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Chid," said Millerna in reply. The little boy stood up and made his way over to where the company was kneeling, a pint sized sword at his side. He motioned for them to stand. And when they did so, only reached Van's waist.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked in child like innocence.  
  
"He's.. Van, from the Mystic Moon," said Hitomi, speaking up before Van could open his mouth.  
  
"Idiot extrodinare," muttered Cinderella so softly that only Van could hear. He kicked her in the heel, and she let out a tiny yelp, covered by a cough. Chid smiled.  
  
"Really? You must be tired. I'll have the servants show you to your rooms," he said, and gave his aunt a hug. "Will you join me for dinner?" he asked Millerna hopefully.  
  
"Of course," she said, and the party was led along by a servant, Chid trailing along behind in typical innocence.  
  
"Woo! This is a really really nice palace," said Van, staring upwards. "You're lucky to live here."  
  
"Thank you," said Chit. Merle coughed, and Van turned around and glared.  
  
"Got a problem? Or just coughing up a hairball, furball?" he asked. Merle buried her claws in his arm, and Cinderella came along with a paper fan and swatted them apart.  
  
"Shut it, Van," she snapped, and then turned, smiling, to Chid.  
  
"You'll have to excuse him," she said sweetly. "He's got issues. He hit his head the other day and hasn't really been the same since."  
  
"Shall we have the physicians take a look at it?" Chid asked in concern, looking up at Cinderella with wide eyed innocence.  
  
"He'll be fine.. Eventually," Cinderella said. Hitomi gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. Van turned to face her, walking backwards.  
  
"Was that a giggle, your highness?" he asked with a wolfish grin. Hitomi put her hand in front of her mouth, trying to hide a smile. Van grinned even larger.  
  
"Come on, let's see the pretty queen's smile!" he said.  
  
"Van, you're going to ram straight into something if you keep walking like that," Hitomi said. Van ignored her and instead tried to pry her hand away from her face.  
  
"Please???? I want to see you smile!" he said, having rarely seen the queen even crack a grin at a joke. "OUCH!" he yelled as he ran into a large pillar with a loud thud.  
  
"Shit!" He yelled, and then used some very inappropriate language. Cinderella put her hand over Chid's right ear, while Millerna clapped hers over Chid's left.  
  
"Van, there are innocent e-a-r-s in our presence," said Allen with a chuckle. Dryden, who had said nearly nothing since they entered the palace, nodded.  
  
"He's right, you know," he said, and Van could just see a tiny glaze in his eyes.  
  
"Aha!" Van cried. "You got high off that glue, too!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Dryden vaguely, and then ran into another pillar. Chid giggled, Merle hissed, and Allen, Hitomi, Cinderella and Millerna sighed.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"SO, these were the queen's rooms?" Hitomi asked Millerna. The princess nodded, her perfect blonde curls bouncing flawlessly up and down.  
  
"Yes. The duke had these rooms designed especially for her. Van, be careful," Millerna added. The crazy boy hopped away from the vase he had been inspecting, and instead sat down at a dresser. Hitomi sighed and turned back to Millerna, who was walking out of the rooms.  
  
"Van, are you coming?" asked Hitomi. She turned around, and saw Van tucking something hastily into his shirt.  
  
"Yeah," he said, his voice high and squeaky..  
  
"Van, what's that?" Hitomi asked suspiciously. Van looked around nervously.  
  
"N-nothing."  
  
"I'll have your head if you're stealing," said Hitomi with a glare.  
  
"Look, I'll tell you later, okay?" Van asked. Hitomi sighed, nodded curtly, and then followed Millerna out of the room, checking that Van was behind her and making sure that he wasn't misbehaving himself.  
  
"Oh, Van," said Millerna. "Allen mentioned something about training today. How does that sound to you?"  
  
"Good," said Van dazedly, obviously off in la la land.  
  
"Great. I'll lead you to the field."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi sat in the stands surrounding the training arena and watched the two swordsmen below her. Hitomi hated to admit it, but Van was improving with suprising rapidity. Already muscles were defining below his shirt and he was excellent enough to rival men who had been training for years. Hitomi tried not to think about how much she admired him, about how strong he was in comparison to she, who was weak. about many of the emotions stirring within her in a depressing turmoil of confusion, but it was useless. Hitomi knew that she'd have to sort out her feelings eventually, figure out just what it was that was inside of her, making her heart flutter at the worst possible moments- like now. Allen lunged towards Van, striking at him with his sword, looking intent on killing Van. But the boy from the mystic moon leapt aside with suprising grace, with an air of almost mockery. Hitomi watched silently as Van and Allen danced in circled around each other, striking, parrying, feinting, and dodging. Finally, first blood was drawn. Allen clutched his arm and looked up in shock as Van smirked at him, beckoning him forward. The fight grew faster, more furious, but finally the two had to call it to a halt. Hitomi sauntered down onto the field, looking at the two men who were both bleeding slightly and sweating like pigs.  
  
"We need to get those cuts bandaged up," Hitomi said to them, cautiously edging away from Allen. He may not have showed any sexual inclinations since she had returned from the Vione, but that didn't mean that she trusted him yet. It took all of Hitomi's willpower to place Van between herself and Allen as a shield, the way she had been doing so inconspicuously lately.  
  
"I'll have Millerna look over my cuts," said Allen, and Hitomi nodded, leading Van away.  
  
"I'll have Millerna look over my cuts," said Van in a high pitched voice, and then snorted. "Honestly. Probably just an excuse to try to get into bed with her.. Hey, is anything wrong?" he asked Hitomi, who was leading him away by the wrist at a quick pace, a dazed look in her eyes.  
  
"What? No," said Hitomi, those feelings stirring up in her again. But she continued leading Van back to the palace, letting him chatter.  
  
"And I swear he looked like he was about to cry when I cut him in the arm," said Van. Hitomi stopped him outside the palace doors.  
  
"You bleed on the tiles in there and I'll kill you, you got it?" Hitomi asked him. Van nodded, and they entered the palace, Van dashing along with his hands over his cuts through the marble hallways. Going through, they passed Cinderella, who only smirked at Van and his many injuries before continuing her saunter down the hallway, threatening random servants just to see what they'd do.  
  
"Heh, that looks like fun." said Van with a grin as Cinderella stood over a poor shaking maid, shaking her fist. Hitomi snorted.  
  
"It's pointless," she said, opening the door to Van's chamber for him.  
  
"Am I still not allowed to bleed?" Van asked as Hitomi sent a maid for water, herbs, and strips of cloth. Hitomi turned to face him, and decided she didn't like the grin on his face. Not one bit. There was a funny stirring feeling in her stomach, and Hitomi willed herself not to blush, gulp, or show any sighs of discomfort.  
  
"You can bleed in here.. I just didn't want you to leave a trail of blood on the marble. I can clean this up myself," Hitomi said, and Van began stripping off his armor. Hitomi looked away as he pulled off his shirt, and thanked the maid who returned with the water and white strips of cloth. Hitomi felt Van's eyes on her as she crushed the herbs into the water and sat down next to him.  
  
"Where did you learn to heal?" Van asked her curiously.  
  
"My mother. This might sting a little," Hitomi said, dipping one strip of cloth in the water, soaking it a bit and applying it to Van's upper arm. He cringed, but did nothing else as Hitomi cleaned the injury, wiped away the blood and bound the cut carefully. She proceeded to this to the cut on his other arm, but stopped when she saw the last cut on his right leg.  
  
"Ahm." Hitomi said, blushing a little. "Your leg."  
  
"Yeah. It's bleeding," said Van, obviously equally embarrassed. "Turn around."  
  
"Okay," said Hitomi, tearing her eyes away from the injury on his thighs and turning around, looking at the wall and rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, turning pink as she heard "ziiip" and the rustle of fabric.  
  
"Okay, you can turn back around," said Van. He was sitting on the bed with the blanket over his lap, whit the edges of what appeared to be shorts with chickens on them peeking out form underneath. Hitomi made an indistinct noise in her throat, quickly washed and bound Van's led, and straightened up, a radiant pink, and faced the back wall again as Van put his pants back on.  
  
'How humiliating.' Hitomi thought to herself, but smiled a bit and then mentally smacked herself.  
  
"Well, I, um," Hitomi said once Van had finished re-dressing. "I should. ah. go."  
  
"Yes, um." said Van, obviously as embarrassed about the whole situation as Hitomi. "Go. Right."  
  
"Uh, okay.. I'll. um.. Go... then.." Said Hitomi uncomfortably, but did not budge. She stared at Van for a moment, and then finally turned and walked out of the room.  
  
"Wait, Hitomi!" Van called just before she had reached the door. Hitomi turned around.  
  
"Uh. well.. Um.." Van obviously had trouble spitting out what was on his mind. Hitomi didn't really blame him. "Do you think Allen purposely cut his leg just to take his pants off in front of Millerna?" Hitomi gave a forced laugh.  
  
"Yeah, he probably did." she said, and then turned to leave again, her heart sinking for an unknown reason.  
  
"Wait.." Van said again as Hitomi put her hand on the doorknob.  
  
"Yes?" Hitomi turned around. Maybe.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Oh." said Hitomi, the sinking feeling intensified. "You're welcome." and with that awkward situation finished with, she left, face the color of the setting sun.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
The young Fanelian queen was awoken late in the night to the rough feel of a man's hands on her body. She let out a yelp and jumped up on her bed, reaching blindly for her sword in the dark. But her sword was gone.  
  
"Who are you," she asked, backing over the fluffy mattress, clinging to one of the bed poles in the far corner, away from the stranger.  
  
"I've been informed to take you to the dungeon." came a rough voice that sent chills down Hitomi's spine. She gulped nervously.  
  
"That doesn't give you the right to molest me," she said, her voice shaking as memories flooded back to her. The guard let out a low laugh.  
  
"I've got the right to do what I want to you, as long as I deliver you to the dungeons in one piece." The guard lunged for the queen again, and Hitomi let out a yelp.  
  
"You're dealing with the queen of Fanelia here," she yelled, but before she could do anything, the guard had roughly grabbed her and pinned her down, letting out a 'heh heh.' Hitomi let out a loud, shrill scream and began to blindly punch in the dark.  
  
"You little bitch," cursed the guard.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van sat in the dark, lonely cell, listening to the voices of his friends. He could hear the voices of Merle and Allen in once cell, Dryden and Cinderella in another, and Millerna in her own private cell. Van knew that he was supposed to be stuck with Hitomi, but she had not yet been thrown in. Maybe she had escaped. Van highly doubted it- he had felt her scream in his bones not ten minutes ago. He was worried about the queen. She had a dark past, and who knew how this would affect her now.  
  
"Stay in there, you little bitch, and don't ever come near me again," said the rough voice of a guard as Van's cell door clanged open. Hitomi was thrown roughly on top of him, and she let out a choked sob. The door slammed shut, and Hitomi scrambled away from Van, into the opposite corner.  
  
"Don't... don't touch me.." She whimpered. "Don't come near me!"  
  
"Hitomi? Are you alright?" Asked Van, now deeply concerned for her safety and welfare. She was crying, her entire body racking with sobs. Van slowly crawled towards her, not wanting to alarm her or traumatize her more than she already was. But to his surprise, Hitomi flew, crying into his arms. She was half naked, only the flimsy fabric of a white backless halter top and her panties covering her.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked as she clutched at his shirt. She choked out a sob and shook her head against his chest.  
  
"No. Van, keep him away from me," she cried. Van rubbed comforting circles on her back and her crying slowly subsided, but did not vanish. Carefully, Van removed his red tee shirt and slipped it over Hitomi's shoulders. It was too large for her, and the bottom of the shirt fell to mid thigh, but it was warm, covering, and better than nothing.  
  
"Thanks," she sniffed, still clinging to him, her hands cold on the warm flesh of his chest. "Don't let him come back," she said quietly, her nails digging into his skin. Van ignored the pain, wishing only that she could transfer all her problems to his shoulders. Maybe, if he hadn't come to Gaia, these things would never have happened. Or, maybe they would have been worse.  
  
"I won't let him touch you.. Don't worry," he said, holding Hitomi tight to him. She continued to cry softly, but slowly drifted off to sleep. Van felt anger, anger at the idiots who did this to her, and angry at himself for not being able to protect her from the pain. The damp cold of the dungeons sunk through his skin and into his bones, but Van didn't care. His whole entity was burning with hot flames of anger, coursing through his veins. All through the night, Van clung to the sleeping figure of Hitomi, who occasionally let out a cry, a whimper, or shed a tear. Time passed quickly, and yet excruciatingly slow for Van, and each time Hitomi cried out, his heart would break a thousand times. After an eternity, the dim light of dawn streamed weakly in to the dungeon, and it too seemed as breakable as the poor girl that Van was holding tight to for all he was worth. Slowly, the others began to awaken and talk quietly, and at one point Allen called out to Van .  
  
"How is she?" he said. Van edged his way to the bars, Hitomi still in his arms.  
  
"Not too good," Van said. "No thanks to you." He peeked out through the bars and saw Allen looking back at him from two cells down.  
  
"I've already tried to explain. There was something inside me. I couldn't control what I was doing. But then when Zaibach came, it just vanished. I'll understand if she never forgives me. And I swear I'll kill that guard."  
  
"You know," said Dryden, popping his head out from the bars of his cell. "I read about something like this once. Sorcerers cast a spell on a strong man in the hopes that their enemy would turn against him. It was reported that he said that there was a demon inside of him, forcing him to do things he could not control."  
  
"And Zaibach has sorcerers," came Cinderella's ever-composed voice in the cell next to Van's. "Maybe they cast that spell on Allen."  
  
"But what about the guard?" asked Millerna from the fourth cell down.  
  
"I don't care," growled Merle. "I'll kill him for hurting the lady Hitomi."  
  
"Shut up, all of you," Van said ad Hitomi began to groan and stir. "She's waking up."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Merle could hear Van comforting Hitomi two cells away. She ached to help her queen out, but she couldn't. It hurt Merle that when her surrogate sister was in need, she could do nothing to comfort Hitomi, the only person who really cared about her. After Merle's village had been burned down, Hitomi had been the one to convince her parents that the girl had to stay at the castle, with her. Ever since that day, Merle had been completely devoted, never swaying from her mistress' footsteps. Merle's ears sank as she heard Hitomi let out a dry sob. Merle's ears could pick out much more than human ears, and it was almost as if she was there in their cell, listening to everything that was going on within.  
  
"Shh," Van was saying. "It's okay, Hitomi. He's gone now."  
  
"Van, please, don't let him come back."  
  
"Don't worry. I won't let him touch you." Then, Merle's ears picked up a new noise. Footsteps.  
  
"Chid?" called Millerna from the next cell down. "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Auntie, but our allay, Zaibach, has requested that we jail you for treason."  
  
"We've done nothing," said Allen, coming up to the bars and pushing Merle aside. The cat girl growled, but one look from Allen told her that now was not the time. Chid walked to stand in front of their cell, and looked up at Allen with sad eyes.  
  
"My mother always told me storied about you, Allen Schezar. I always wanted to be like you. How could you and Aunt Millerna have committed such a crime?"  
  
"We're innocent!" Yelled Van. "The only thing we did was defend ourselves from mindless slaughter by Zaibach forces! How is that treason? Look at what your guards did to Hitomi, a queen! Their crimes deserve imprisonment, not ours," screamed Van, and Merle could distinctly hear the sound of Hitomi's weeping.  
  
"Isn't there a way you could question us?" asked Dryden from Merle's left.  
  
"There is a priest, Plaktu, on the way here," said Chid. "I could allow him to question you. He can tell if you're lying."  
  
"Would you give us the honor of being questioned, then?" asked Cinderella dryly. Chid looked to her, his big eyes sad, and then nodded.  
  
"Yes. I will send for him the moment he arrives," Chid said. Cinderella nodded, and Merle came up to the bars of her cell.  
  
"Prince Chid? I have a single favor to ask of you," she said softly and sadly. Chid turned to her, and took in her drooping ears and dispirited expression.  
  
"Yes, Lady Merle?" he asked, cocking his head slightly.  
  
"Bring some clothes for the Lady Hitomi. It's cold down here, and I think the guards took what few scraps of cloth she had covering her in the first place." Chids eyes widened.  
  
"It will be done."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi slid Van's shirt off and grabbed the long black tunic. She shamefacedly threw the red tee shirt to Van and pulled on the tunic. Van had politely averted his eyes, but caught his shirt and slipped it over his head as Hitomi pulled on the pair of fencing pants. Maybe not the most.. Normal outfit, but you could move in it without having to worry about your underclothes showing, and it was fairly comfortable so Hitomi wasn't complaining. The queen took the tan sash and used it as a belt, tying it around her waist to ensure that her tunic didn't get in the way. She then turned to face Van, who was staring at the cell wall.  
  
"Are you done yet?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes," she said quietly, greatly exhausted by the trauma of the past night. She did her best to keep the tears at bay. She was tired of being weak. Why was it that Van could always unlock her deep, dark, secrets, and make her feel so vulnerable? Hitomi was not quick to trust, and didn't like anyone, not even Merle, having easy access to her feelings. But Van knew exactly the buttons to push to get her to unwillingly open up. Part of Hitomi had been afraid that Van would take advantage of her when she had been thrown, mostly naked, into the cell, but now she knew otherwise, that Van would never do such a thing. Hitomi crawled into the far corner of the cell, wanting to be alone with her thoughts, and Van, sensing that now was not a good time, did not follow. Instead, he made his way to the bars of the cell and began conversing with Dryden in whispers. Then came the clang of a door, and footsteps. Van jerked away from the cell door as though he had been shocked, and Hitomi made her way over to him.  
  
"I was going to pick the lock on our cell, but there's not enough time," he said as Chid came to a halt in front of Van and Hitomi. One of the guards smirked at Hitomi, letting out a loud 'heh heh.' Hitomi crawled to the corner of the cell where the sewage pit was, and vomited, feeling sickened. She then crawled back over to Van, and clung to him.  
  
"Please. help." she whispered to him, hiding behind his strong form.  
  
"I won't let them touch you, don't worry," he replied. Hitomi only clung to the fabric of his shirt.  
  
"Plaktu is here," said Chid. "Are you ready for questioning?" he asked. Van turned around to Hitomi.  
  
"Take this," she whispered, removing the pendant and handing it to Van. "You saved us with it once, please, save us all again." Van nodded and clasped it around his throat.  
  
"I'm ready," Van said, tucking it below his shirt. Suddenly, he doubled over in pain. Hitomi crawled towards him.  
  
"Van? Are you alright?" she asked, putting her hand on his back. He was shuddering, his hands against his temples. But at her touch, he relaxed.  
  
"I'm.. I'm fine," he said shakily, standing up and making his way to the door of the cell.  
  
"Lead me to your priest," he said. "I am ready."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: I know, melodramatic and a very cliché ending, but, hey. Don't complain! It took me forever to get this thing written. . caffeine is my friend at two a.m. *nod nod* But, anyways, I've got a huge case of writer's block. So, I'm sorry my dear fans, but as soon as I get to the entire ispano sequence (which I was hoping to get to in chapter 10 but it looks like it won't be at least until chapter 12 . ;) I'm taking a B R E A K. Good news for you, though... I have a three day weekend! That means.. More chapters! Hurrah hurrah!... okay. And, also, if you're against that entire "really horny guard thing," deal with it, okay? This fic isn't going to be all fluffy puppies and rainbow ponies. O_O did I just SAY that? Oh well. At least it's a good excuse for FLUFF! And, plus, it actually did have a point.. THE ZAIBACH SORCERERS ARE GOING TO KILL US ALL!!!!!!! . right. No more fruit loops for me!  
  
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO:  
  
Dariel: Dude, Van always does something stupid. *whistles and shoves Van voodoo doll behind back* heh heh.. Okay. I know that you'll love what's going to be coming up later in the story. Fuffishly fluffishly fluffiness. Haa! And it's okay that you kind of scared me. being shocked out of ones mind is healthy, upon occasion..  
  
Naria: oh, thanks. I'm afraid that I'm kind of bad at typing...  
  
Feye Morgan: Yes! Lets go steal Escaflowne from Bandai!!! *pulls on black cape and begins dashing around, cackling* Oh, and I'm also really glad that you think the story fits together that well.. Hahaha! Come on Fred, lets go wreak havoc!  
  
Aeka-himme: Heh heh. I wouldn't mind that Hitomi plushie.. I've been looking for the various character plushies all over Ebay, heh heh ^^ Hooray for plushies! I'm really very happy that you like the story, because I worked very very hard on it. *hides "How to write a V/H fanfic" behind back* ^^; eh heh heh... Okay. I'll post lotsa lotsa updates on the entire "Van" thing in my final A/N, okieday? ^^ and I might have to resort to a Van plushie, but, oh well. And, as a parting comment, I unfortunately and very aware how teenage boys minds work, seeing as I have more guy friends than girls.. *glares at a group of insane guys talking about shirtless chicks* and, yes, Van is rather odd, but I modeled him after my "dear friend Shawn," who gives me chocolate whenever I give him a hug o_O;;;; rrright then.. I'm sorry they cut off your review for chapter eight. *passes you an Escaflowne lollypop* ^^ hope this makes you feel better!  
  
CinderellaxVan: Hooray for hyper! Double Hooray for alter egoes! Except when they get obnoxious and start arguing, but, the hell! And breaking V/H moments are fun.. *cackle* haaaaa! This chapter was loaded with V/H, though.. *evil cackle* feel the pain! And Van/Celena is a REALLY WEIRD PAIRING. I read some of that once.. O_O me after reading Van/Celena. 'tis muchly frightening.. shutting up now..  
  
FINAL A/N: Finally, we got to chapter ten! Hurray me! But its already Sunday and stupid FF.net wouldn't let me update on Valentines day.. *gets C4 and slowly creeps towards ff.net cackling evilly* heh heh heh. Okay. Van update. Still haven't met the guy, though Mr. Latin class has decided to introduce us.. Fun stuff. I think I'll go along with it just to see where it winds out. Fun! Okay, really, nothing new in that area, but it's still an entertaining prospect. *cackle* hee hee! Ar. Okay.  
  
o_O I'll be seeing you guys later. I'm getting yelled at for slacking...  
  
~Azure 


	11. Hysteria, Visions, and Fire Alarms

A/N: Chapter eleven! What a pain.. No, not writing for you people, but getting over my writers block.. Oiii, I need a break! *wail* anywhoo, today I had a major squeal fest when I saw that I had 18 REVEIWS in my inbox! Hurrah! So, thank you to the people who reviewed and made my day! Now, onto the story.  
  
Disclaimer: You know that I don't own it. So there.  
  
ELEVEN  
  
A loud scream, unearthly, sliced through the dungeon like a knife. It rang through the echoing stone hallways, and Hitomi sat up.  
  
"What was that?" she asked. She ran forward to the bars. "Hey! What just happened?"  
  
"The prisoner just died," said one of the guards. Hitomi sucked in her breath and put her knuckles to her lips.  
  
"Van," she whispered. Chid came down the hallway, and looked up at Allen sadly.  
  
"How could you have attacked a Zaibach guymelef?" he asked, but did not wait for an answer. He turned to make his way out of the dungeons, when Allen reached through the bars and grabbed Chid, pressing Merle's nail file to his throat. The guards all drew their swords.  
  
"Let us out and take us to the prisoner," he said, "and your prince will come to no harm." Reluctantly, the guards unlocked the cell door.  
  
"Let them all out, but do not touch us or the prince will die." Hitomi found this behavior odd, but maybe Allen had a plan in mind. Hitomi shakily made her way out of her cell, pushing roughly past the guards, and took off down the corridor at a run, to where Van had been held for questioning. She burst in the door, followed by Millerna, Allen, Merle, Dryden and Cinderella. Plaktu had pressed himself against a wall and was raising an arm up, as if to ward away Van.  
  
"Him! He's a monster," he said shakily, pointing at Van. Millerna tore open Van's shirt and pressed her ear to his chest.  
  
"Nothing," she said, and then began to pump furiously at his heart with the heel of her hands.  
  
"Let me try," Hitomi said, as it seemed to be exhausting the princess. She straddled Van and began to press rapidly against his chest.  
  
"With your pulse!" Millerna cried, Hitomi felt the beating of her heart deep within her, and then transferred the energy from her body to his.  
  
"Come on Van, dammit, breathe! You can't die on me," she said angrily, furiously pumping. "Please!" Minutes passed, and a foam of sweat began to slowly form on Hitomi. But she wouldn't give up- she couldn't give up! One, two, one, two, Hitomi thrust at Van's chest. Another minute passed, everybody looking on in anxiety, as Hitomi tried to save Van. Unnoticed by any, Plaktu slank out of the room. Van was still pressing Merle's nail file to Chid's throat, but the young prince looked concerned for Van's safety; Cinderella was clinging to her brother and both had tears in their eyes, Millerna was watching nervously and Merle was flitting in frenzied circles. Hitomi, however, didn't hear, didn't see any of this. All she saw was the cold and dead in Van's eyes.  
  
"Live dammit!" she shrieked, pumping with renewed vigor. Long moments passed, and Hitomi was now sure that he was dead. But she kept pumping, even as Millerna tried to pry her away from the corpse.  
  
"He's not dead!" Hitomi cried. "He's alive. Come on, Van, breathe!" She flailed about as Millerna and Cinderella roughly pulled her away. Hitomi slumped down, defeated. She was weak- Van had been wrong. She wasn't strong enough to save him. Hitomi was a failure. Hitomi gripped Van's cold hand, feeling frantically for life. There was none.  
  
A single trail of silver made it's way down Hitomi's cheek and splashed lightly on Van's wrist. Hitomi sniffed, and the fingers interlocked in her own twitched. Van rolled over, coughing, and put his hand to his head. Suddenly, his eyes jerked open.  
  
"The priest! Plaktu! He's a doppleganger!" he yelled frantically, looking around the dungeon. "Don't trust him! He was sent by Zaibach." Hitomi collapsed, almost sobbing with relief, Merle sniffed, Cinderella went lax, Millerna all out burst out into tears, Dryden wiped damp away from his eyes and Allen smiled, letting go of Chid.  
  
"Thanks for the nail file, Merle," he said, tossing the file back to its owner, who caught it and slipped it back around her neck.  
  
"Prince Chid?" asked Millerna, kneeling in front of the little boy. Hitomi was fussing over Van, who was struggling in vain.  
  
"Yes?" he asked her, signaling to his guards to hold.  
  
"Could you give us a chance? Would you allow us to prove that the priest Plaktu was a doppleganger?" she asked. Chid thought it over, and then nodded.  
  
"Only because it's you, Auntie," he said. Millerna gave him a hug.  
  
"Thank you, Chid," she said, patting him on the head. Chid gave his aunt a smile, and Millerna straightened up.  
  
"Van, you're sure it was a doppelganger?" she asked him. Van nodded.  
  
"Absolutely," she said, batting Hitomi's hand away as she fussed incessantly over him.  
  
"We should get a move on, then," said Cinderella stoically, her arms crossed below her breasts. Allen gave a nod.  
  
"Cinderella's right."  
  
"Of course she's right," said Dryden. "She's my sister." Merle was scampering in circles, still, her tail in her mouth.  
  
"Oooh, I hate dopplegangers," she muttered, stopping and sitting down. "I hate, hate, hate them." A loud smacking noise reverberated through the dungeon, and all turned to look at Hitomi and Van. Hitomi was standing imperiously over Van, her hands on her hips, glaring down at him. And Van was tenderly feeling a large, red imprint of a hand on his cheek, wincing. Dryden, Allen, Merle and Millerna erupted in laughter, whilst Cinderella looked amused.  
  
"I guess we'd better get going, then," said Dryden, suddenly serious. Van stood, nodding.  
  
"We need to find him."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"How dare he? The insolent rodent," cursed the doppleganger, speeding through the woods to the shrine where he was supposed to meet Dilandau. "I will not die!" Little did the doppleganger know that at that moment he was speeding towards his fate.  
  
,:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van shuddered, clasping his hands to his forehead.  
  
"Van? Van, what's wrong?" Hitomi asked him, clinging to his arm. He began to shake violently and sweat.  
  
"Somebody help me," Hitomi called out. "He's having a vision." Allen scampered along and took Van's other arm, and they helped him down the hallway and into a room where he could sit down. Hitomi guided him to a chair, and looked around hopelessly. Only she, Millerna, Allen and Van had been allowed out of the dungeon, their friends staying there in order to prove their word. Van slumped over, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, trembling uncontroably. His breathing was harsh and ragged, and sweat rolled down his face.  
  
"Van? Van, you're okay," Hitomi told him, putting one hand on his back and taking his hand with her other. "You're alright." At the sound of Hitomi's voice, Van calmed down slightly, shaking less. Hitomi continued to talk softly to him and he calmed down a bit.  
  
"Well?" Hitomi snapped at Allen. "Aren't you going to make yourself useful? Get some water for him, or something."  
  
"OH," jumped Allen, dashing off. Van was only trembling below Hitomi's hands, and the young queen rocked him back and forth a bit, waiting for his vision to pass.  
  
"Hitomi?" Van choked out, turning to look at her, still shaking. She brushed a wet strand of hair out of his face.  
  
"What did you see?" she asked. He closed his reddish eyes, pain flickering across his features, but opened them again and looked at Hitomi.  
  
"The doppleganger. Hopping through the trees, towards a shrine, on top of which was burning a black fire. It reached out to grab the doppleganger, and sucked it in, squeezing it to death. It shrieked, and then.." Van made a violent gesture with his hands, then buried his face in his fingers. Hitomi looked at him with pity.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting embrace. Allen came into the room, and then stopped, nearly dropping the glass of water. Hitomi shook her head no, and carefully pulled away from Van.  
  
"Does this mean he's dead?" she asked.  
  
"Probably," Van replied. A spark of an idea lit in Hitomi's mind.  
  
"Allen," she said, her tone strange. "Go check Plaktu's room- the one on the air ship," she commanded. Allen looked confused, but did as he was told.  
  
"What'd you do that for?" Van asked, regaining his normal, slightly clueless composure.  
  
"If the priest really was a doppleganger, then there has to be a corpse of Plaktu. And what if Plaktu was left where he was killed?" Van looked confused for a moment, and then his eyes lit with sudden understanding.  
  
"Aha!" he said, giving Hitomi a grin that melted her heart like butter.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
"You shouldn't have killed him," Folken said, adopting an angry pose and glaring at Dilandau. "Dornkirk said."  
  
"Dornkirk this, Dornkirk that, yadda yadda yadda!" drawled Dilandau, putting his hands on his hips and looking at the ceiling, a strand of his silvery hair falling into his face. "What are you," he asked, looking to the floor, closing his eyes with a small smile. "His lap dog?" Folken glared at Dilandau.  
  
"If it weren't for Dornkirk, you'd be dead right now."  
  
"OH, sure," laughed Dilandau, holding out one of his hands in a questioning position. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been tortured. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't hear the voices in my head."  
  
"If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have your Elmo," offered Folken.  
  
"True," admitted Dilandau. "I still say he doesn't know what he's talking about, though," Dilandau said. Folken turned, his cape swishing (large yellow clown shoes just visible beneath the folds of black fabric) and stomped off to a consultation with Dornkirk again, a rant session about Dilandau's difficulty and why couldn't I just torch him like he did to my country? Dilandau glared at the large round screen and grabbed a remote control, turning it on. Immediately, the sounds of Sesame Street filled the room.  
  
"Dilandau! I've told you to use your own holoscreen a thousand times!" he yelled, and then hit the remote again.  
  
"What now?" yawned Dornkirk.  
  
"Dilandau's an idiot."  
  
"I know. But, he is necessary for the growth of our beautiful country," Dornkirk wheezed.  
  
"But still." an alarm bleeped within the Zaibach fortress, flashing red over the darkened hallways. "Shit."  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" Dornkirk asked slowly.  
  
"Yes. Fire alarm. We have a major situation on our hands," replied Folken, kneading at his teardrop tattoo.  
  
"What is it?" asked Dornkirk.  
  
"Dilandau's at it.. Again."  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
The duke of Freid had returned, and given his son a large lecture which Van had not cared to stay awake for. He now had some lovely bruises from his dear friend Cinderella, and Hitomi was currently tending to them.  
  
"Ouch! Dammit, Hitomi, be careful!" he said as she pressed a cold pack to his left wrist where there was a particularly ugly bruise in the shape of a cow.  
  
" If you weren't so stupid and didn't always get on her nerves maybe she wouldn't beat you open as much as she does." Hitomi replied.  
  
"I didn't do anything! Whether I sleep or not shouldn't matter to her. Shit! That hurt!"  
  
"Van, you have to be respectful here," replied Hitomi. "You could be hanged, or slaughtered,"  
  
"Or burnt to a crisp, I know!" he said. "But why do they even care?" he asked, scrutinizing Hitomi.  
  
"Do you like it when people sleep when you're being serious?" she asked, and let go of his wrist. "There. All done."  
  
Van looked at Hitomi, and then to the bruises on his arms, and decided that they were definitely looking better.  
  
"No," he finally said after an extended period of time.  
  
"Glad that you've come to your senses," said Hitomi, helping Van up. "Now, I have a favor to ask of you."  
  
"Depends," said Van casually, putting his hands behind his head.  
  
"Will you teach me that magic that you use? To see the invisible enemies?" she asked hopefully. Van let his hands fall, and turned to look at her, cocking his head.  
  
"I guess." he said.  
  
"Great," Hitomi replied, and led Van into a large courtyard, where Merle was filing her nails to deadly, razor sharp points.  
  
"Merle, could Lady Hitomi have your help?" Van asked. Merle blew the dust off her claws.  
  
"Sure!" she meowed. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Hide in the bushes," commanded Hitomi, and closed her eyes. Merle gave a small yowl, and scampered away.  
  
"Hitomi, I'm going to take your pendant off, okay?" Van asked quietly. Hitomi nodded, but still stiffened at the brushing of his fingers against the back of her neck. Van felt his heart break inside, and vowed to massacre the guard that had made her the way she was. She still hadn't told him exactly what had happened, even though it had been nearly a week. But, in a way, Van really didn't want to know. Van turned the necklace and let the pendant run down the chain until it hit the clasp. He then placed it in Hitomi's fingers.  
  
"I want you to picture Merle," he said, almost totally serious. In a way, he found this situation rather comical, but, what the hell. "The psychotic yowling, the orange ears, the really poofy tail."  
  
"You're not helping," said Hitomi. Van sighed.  
  
"Okay. I want you to picture her. As soon as you get a clear mental image of her, I want you to concentrate with all your might on it. Seek her with your mind." Van trailed off and watched Hitomi, using this time to study her features. Thick, dark lashes resting gently against her cheek, clear, pure skin, deep, plus, sensual pink lips. Van mentally smacked himself. No, no, no. You're not thinking about Hitomi that way. But, somehow, he managed to ignore that voice in him that had always told him to stay away from the really pretty ones....  
  
"I can't do it!" yelled Hitomi in frustration, jerking her eyes suddenly open and stomping.  
  
"Relax. You will," said Van. "Try again." And Hitomi did, indeed try again, but to no avail. Van munched on his lower lip.  
  
"Like this," he said, taking the pendant from Hitomi, their fingers blushing slightly. He held the pendulum in front of him, stiff as a statue, but it did not swing. Van plunked the pendant with his index finger, but it did nothing.  
  
"Hang on," Van said, to Hitomi, shoving the necklace back into her palm and dashing off to the bushes where Merle had supposedly been hiding. It was just as Van suspected- no Merle.  
  
"She ditched us," Van called, hopping out of the bushes.  
  
"Ditched?" asked Hitomi, slightly puzzled. "What is that?"  
  
"Uh. left. Looks like you're going to have to find me. Close your eyes and count to twenty." In an ironic way, this was like a twisted form of hide and go seek.. Van silently crept into the bushes, and then dashed half the perimeter of the circular courtyard, to a small gap in the bushes where he could see Hitomi and the pendant clearly.  
  
"Eighteen, nineteen, twenty," she counted, and took in a deep breath. It had to work! Van willed the pendant to swing towards him with all his might. Slowly, but steadily, the pendant began to swing gently from side to side, like a clock pendulum. Then, it swung straight at him and stopped, rigid. Hitomi turned to face him. "Van?" she called, a bit of uncertainty about her. Van burst out of the bushes and ran over to Hitomi, hopping up and down.  
  
"You did it! You did it! You found me without even trying!" he said, dancing in merry circles. "Zaibach won't stand a chance!" and right there, out of pure joy, he kissed her full on the lips, and then resumed his merry dance.  
  
"Hurrah for the queen Hitomi!" he said, but she began to sway.  
  
"Hitomi?" Van stopped mid fan-dance and caught the queen as she fell over backwards, rigid as a board with closed. "Hitomi, oh my god, are you all right?" he asked worriedly, dropping his yellow fans and cradling her in both arms. A smile began to tug at her lips, and she burst out laughing, her eyes opening.  
  
"You fell for it!" she giggled, reaching up and twining her arms around his neck. "I can't believe it!"  
  
"Yeah, well t wasn't exactly what I was expecting," Van laughed as well. His face lowered towards hers, and just as their lips were about to meet, he heard someone clear their throat loudly from behind them. Both jumped up, blushing red, and looking at the grass.  
  
"Lady Hitomi? The duke requests your presence in the council chamber," said Cinderella with a crooked smile across her face. "You might want to wash your face before you go in, though. You're beet red." she gave a small laugh. "See you later Hitomi. Van," she added. Was it just Van's imagination or was that last part a bit. flirty? Van looked to Hitomi with a grin and raised eyebrows only to find that she was no longer blushing and was looking after Cinderella with an expression that Van couldn't read. He wondered what was up with the queen..  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
A/N: DEAR GOD! That last chapter hated me very, very, very much. I'm serious! Gaaaah. It took me forever to write, and I'm very, very sorry if it's below everybody's expectations. Wow.. 106 reviews! I feel so loved. I'm so glad that we're close to the entire ispano sequence because I need a break! Believe it or not, I actually have been working (however slow it may seem that I am going.) I toiled and sweated and we got this lovely chapter. So, thank you very much to everybody who reviewed.  
  
HUGGLES AND SMOOCHES OF THANKS TO:  
  
Esca chick: yes, white out really will make you high. And sad stuff is easier to write.. At times. Anyway, it IS obnoxious when stories are all just mountains and mountains of pointless, pink fluff with no real plot- some are actually okay, but many aren't very well written. And, I updated. Yay! Aren't you proud of me? Oh, and I'm sorry ff.net cut off your review. I hate it when that happens.  
  
Dariel: Hurrah for fluff! And, yes, shirtless Van= WAY HOT!!!!!! ^_____^ yes, there would be wrong with Van if something stupid he did not do. Hurrah for fluff! And, thanks SO SO much for sending the Esca gang to visit me whilst I was on the door of death. er. or at least sick. It really did cheer me up. LOL poor Allen. Gotta love torturing him.. Haahaaahaa! ^____^ can't wait for your next review.  
  
Sakura: awkward situations are fun stuff!!!! Ha ha haaaa!  
  
Feye Morgan: thanks! I do try.. *grin* your story is pretty good, too *cackle*. Anyway. I hope ff.net has behaved itself, yes yes. What did you think of this chappie? Crazy enough? And thanks for the tea tip- it really did help.  
  
Naria: *salute* yes, cap'n! Will keep writing. And I'm THRILLED that you love my story. It really means a lot to me. Thanks a ton!  
  
CraZKitty: wow. Lots, lots, lots of reviews. 17, if I counted correctly. Wow. Thanks for all the positive feedback- I really appreciated it. I hope you liked this chapter, too.  
  
Princess Neptune: I've recovered.. Partially. And, I updated, so, yay. I hope you found this installment satisfactory ^______^  
  
CinderellaxVan: I'm sorry ff.net wasn't cooperating. I'm glad you liked Cinderella and Van- I hope he "small incident that will soon escalate into a large incident" was good enough. And please refrain from beheading innocent bystanders.. ^___^ behead Allen instead!  
  
Aeka-himme: last week ff.net was a pain. Gah. Death to ff.net! No, not really, because then there would be no fanfiction *sob!* and we'd all go mad. But, yeah. The guard was a jerk. I don't know why I put that in there.. Just did! For info about "Van" who I'm supposedly going to be hooked up with, read the final A/N. I'm glad that you understand about the writers block. this fic has it in for me. Ugh. A L S O, I'm really really glad that my fic is "so damn good." It really makes me very happy when I know that my death wish is loved.  
  
Rina: thanks for the review. It made me feel very, very much better. School is a bitch. Teachers are terrible, too. At least, the ones that don't care about our fanfiction.  
  
Youjibaracuda: this fic was inspired after I banged my head against a wall. Do not take it seriously. LOL! Anywhoo, I'm glad you like my twisted tale of insanity and Allen bashing. Thanks for reviewing- I can't wait to hear from you again. Oh, and, the soup really helped ^___^ ty!  
  
Pink Cherry Blossom: very glad that you liked the other chapter. I hope Van's accident was enough.. Hitomi in hysterical tears flailing and fighting to get to his supposed corpse.. Gosh, that was morbid.  
  
Fireangel: eek! No! don't be late for school! My story isn't worth that! I'm happy that you were happy at the last chapter. It was.. Erm. definitely and interesting thing to write. And as for the "fluffy puppies and rainbow ponies" comment, I was getting sick when I wrote that. So, yeah.  
  
Asterix Lapine: wow! Well, I'm glad that you like the story. I think it hates me, but OH WELL. I'm glad it's one of your favorites. Yaay!  
  
Final A/N: THANK GOD I FINALLY FINISHED THAT! I am so happy you guys reviewed, but I had to scroll through 35 emails to get that finished. Oi. Still not feeling that great, but I'm definitely recovering. Yay! VAN UPDATE: Still no news on him. I'm thinking of irritating my friend just to get him to introduce me to him, but I can't think up anything good to give him for doing so (he's a greedy hog, I swear!!!). If you want lots and lots of updates on how this crazy story is going, visit my bloc. I have the URL on my bio, hurrah! I feel like there's something that I have to say but I can't remember it! Oh well. I'm off to fill up 20 sticky notes with insightful statements on "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" for English, which is due during seventh block (1:00- 2:30) tomorrow. Yikes! She's trying to kill me, I swear! I actually think that this entire situation is slightly ironic- me. disliking my English teacher but continuing my "creative writing." Oh, and I have happy good news. I got ungrounded, and I got a new computer! A g3 Mac!!! Yay! And my old computer is hooked up in my closet, so, hurrah! No files lost! Aren't you all so proud of my proactivity? O_o ANYWHOO. I'll let you all have your sanity back. PLEASE REVIEW! I work harder that way- no, really! 


	12. Idiots, Escapes, and Merle Headbutts a T...

**A/n:**_ dear god. Chapter 12. What will I ever do? Okay, you people know Escaflowne. I'm skipping straight over the big woo, power of Atlantis' thing to the battle, okay?_  
  
**Disclaimer:** _no, no, no. If I owned Escaflowne I'd be a hundred thousand times richer than I am right now._  
  
  
**TWELVE**  
  
Hitomi sat in her guymelef, breathing heavily and looking around the battlefield.   
  
Where are you? she asked quietly, looking around, seeing her mother's pendant swinging before her eyes. Suddenly, it sopped and swung directly to the front. Hitomi plunged the sword of Escaflowne dead front and center, and felt it collide with good, hard metal. There was a loud scream, and Hitomi smiled to herself. She suddenly felt a searing pain on her leg- she had been sliced back! With a growl, she began to slice angrily at the air, always watching the pendant, envisioning it in her minds eyes. She felt large, metal bodies fall all around her, but she felt more metal bodies make cuts at her, swiping and slicing. Hitomi let out an unearthly scream, her mind under stress from having completely bonded with Escaflowne. She began to slice and attack more furiously than before, and then all went quiet. A cheer arose from the Zaibach side as the king fell, holding his sword in midair.   
  
whispered Hitomi. The battle was over. They had lost. She made her way back to the crusade, realizing that she was bleeding terribly within the cockpit. She felt woozy from the blood loss, and parked her guymelef securely in the hangar of Allen's airship. She passed out, the last thing she remembered being Merle standing below the chamber and screaming.  
  
.*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Merle said, skidding to a halt in front of the boy from the mystic moon who had been staring dreamily out the window.  
  
he asked, a silly smile playing across his features as he dreamt of an ill-tempered warrior.  
  
It's Hitomi! There's blood dripping form the cabin! I don't know what's wrong with her, but she wouldn't respond. Van's head jerked up, and his eyes widened.  
  
  
  
I've checked the damage on her guymelef, said Allen, stepping in. There's nothing wrong with the cockpit, but Hitomi won't respond. There's blood coming from the camber and she won't respond to any of us.  
  
cursed Van, hopping up Merle grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hallways of the air ship, stopping in the hanger directly in front of Escaflowne. There was a large puddle of blood directly below the cabin, and there were several streams of blood running down Escaflowne's shining armor.  
  
Van called. Hitomi! Please, come out! Suddenly, the visor burst open and Hitomi came tumbling through, unconscious and bleeding. Van caught her deftly in his arms, cradling her bloodied body to his.  
  
Get Millerna! Quick! he barked to Allen, who hurried away. Van carried Hitomi to her chamber, Merle scampering worriedly along behind, fretting obnoxiously.  
  
Oh, Lady Hitomi, what happened to you? she asked, glancing down at the trail of blood that she was leaving on the floor.   
  
Merle, open the door, Van commanded. She hastily complied, and gently laid Hitomi on her bed, ignoring the blood soaking her sheets.  
  
What is it? asked Millerna, coming in. She then spotted Hitomi. Oh my. Van, Allen, I must ask you to leave.  
  
asked Allen, but Merle pushed them out of the room.  
  
Because Millerna has to remove Hitomi's. ah. Garments, blushed Van. Allen gave Van a weird look, and then flushed red as well.  
  
he said. Oddly enough, Van and Allen had both shard a bit of a man bond,' probably from so much Hitomi Chasing.  
  
But, then again, I would know, said Allen, clearing his throat. Not about Hitomi, but  
  
said Van. Allen nodded.   
  
Illegitimate child, he said.  
  
replied Van, and both stood in silence, staring at Hitomi's door, both wondering if the young queen would be all right.  
  
You can come in now, said Merle, opening the door. Van and Allen stepped in, and stopped. Hitomi was wearing nothing but a simple, mostly string halter top that was soaked red with her blood and cut off just below her breasts, and a pair of tiny shorts. Van rushed to her side and took her hand, noticing that she was still bleeding.  
  
You couldn't to anything? Allen asked, nodding at the blood soaked bandages across Hitomi's arms, legs, and middle. Millerna shook her head sadly. Suddenly, Van remembered Hitomi saying something about bonding her mind with Escaflowne to fight better. He jumped up.  
  
Hang on, he said, and dashed out of the room and to the hangar. He studied Escaflowne- it had gashes across the metal in all the same places.  
  
We need to fix Escaflowne, he said to Allen, who had followed him. And fast.  
  
I might be able to help with that, said Dryden, walking in, followed by Cinderella. She gave Van a smile, glared at Allen, and then followed her brother to the guymelef.  
  
Cinderella, could you get in the cockpit, please? Dryden asked his sister. She nodded and hoisted herself in, not noticing the blood Hitomi left inside soaking her clothes.  
  
Look for a little green button, and push it, said Dryden. Cinderella swiveled about, obviously slightly confused and then spotted it.  
  
she cried, and pressed it. A loud rumbling sound filled the air, and Van looked around, panicking.  
  
What did you just do? Allen demanded.  
  
Called the ispano ship for repairs, of course.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Van was still mortified by the massive sum that Dryden had agreed to spend on fixing up Escaflowne. It was a lot... too much. But then again, if it was for his Hitomi.  
  
Wait,' Van thought to himself. Since when is she my Hitomi?' Van looked down on her face, pale from the loss of blood, and idly pushed a strand of hair aside. The Ispanos would be starting repairs any minute now, and Van had no intention of leaving Hitomi.  
  
said Cinderella, plopping down next to Van.  
  
said Van, raising his eyes to meet hers or just a second, and then looking back down at Hitomi.  
  
You're worried, Cinderella noted. Van nodded.  
  
She'll be fine, Cinderella replied. My brother loves spending or money, and I'm sure a six sum doctor's bill is what he always wanted. Van looked up, his mouth slightly open. Cinderella making a joke? Not something that happened every day. Cinderella looked almost nervously down at Hitomi.  
  
You're worried, replied Van to Cinderella.   
  
Because, when they start to fix the guymelef, she'll feel it, Cinderella replied. You'll know why in just a few minutes. Van looked back down at Hitomi's bandage covered body, blood already seeping through the fresh wrappings.  
  
She'll make it through this, he said simply. Cinderella nodded, and stood up.  
  
You can stay here while they do the repairs, if you want, she said. But it won't be pretty.  
  
Won't be pretty? Van asked himself quietly as Cinderella walked away. Van wondered at the girl's strange behavior, but shook it off and grabbed Hitomi's hand.  
  
Hitomi, you're going to be okay, he said, doing his best not to doubt. You'll be fine. Pushing his pessimism aside, he stroked the soft skin near her wrist with his thumb. Cinderella came bustling back in with Millerna, Allen, Dryden, and Merle with her.  
  
They're about to start the repairs, Van, Merle warned. Are you going to stay  
  
said Van with determination. He wondered what Allen and Cinderella were doing- Allen pried Hitomi's hand out of Vans and pinned both her arms over her head, while Cinderella grabbed Hitomi's ankles and held them to the table.  
  
Millerna? Merle? Are you sure you want to watch, she asked. Both girls nodded, and Dryden pulled the two women and Van a safe distance away from the table. Van couldn't help the fear and dread rising in him all of a sudden, when the Ispanos moved to make their repairs. The first ispano moved forward and began working, smoothing out the surface on the leg. Hitomi began to scream and thrash, and Van was sure that the sound of her in pain alone would kill him. Allen and Cinderella held Hitomi steady to the table she was on, both obviously hating every minute of it. Sparks flew from Escaflowne as the many Ispanos began to work. Hitomi thrashed right and left, and then arched her back upwards so high that Van was sure it would break. Just before it would have snapped she banged her entire body down against the table, slamming it down again and again, then thrashing right and left, all the while screaming. Screaming as though she were being slowly chopped up, piece-by-piece. For hours, Van watched Hitomi in horrified silence, each scream killing him slowly from the inside. Allen leant over to wipe some sweat from his brow (Millerna and Merle had long since left, and Dryden had taken his sister's place,) and Van tore his eyes away from Hitomi for the first time since the repairs had begun.  
  
I'll hold her wrists, if you want, Van offered. Allen glanced up at Escaflowne, who was still undergoing repairs, and then to Hitomi, who was now screaming silently since she had long since lost her voice.  
  
said Allen. Van quickly placed his hands over Hitomi's wrist, hoping and wishing with all his heart to find a way to ease her pain. The blood from some wounds on Hitomi's body had already been sealed, but others bled more ferociously than before.  
  
Come on, Hitomi, Van said. If anyone can make it through this, you can. Hitomi only let out another high-pitched scream and thrashed about some more. Van cringed as the warm blood from her wrists soaked into the skin on the palms of his hands. Dryden gave Van a sympathetic look and then turned back to his duties of restraining the queen, who was crying tears of blood.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
The bandages unraveled, falling from Hitomi's slim yet powerful figure. She examined her arms, legs, torso anywhere there had been a wound, with awe. Van sat next to her with a silly grin.  
  
I'm better, she said, mystified, clenching and unclenching her fist. She then looked up to Van, her face still bewildered.   
  
When you bonded to Escaflowne, said Van in what he obviously thought was a very intelligent and professional manner, it's wounds became your wounds.  
  
said Hitomi, and then shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.  
  
It hurt, she said quietly. More than anything. Van put a comforting arm around her, and then realized that all she was wearing was a pair of skimpy green shorts and a VERY ripped up halter top, and he jumped back as though he had been electrified.  
  
I should go now, Van said, his face beet red, looking down. Let you change  
  
asked Hitomi in bewilderment, and then looked down at her attire. She too turned pink, and then began to scream hentai hentai hentai! Get out! Van dodged a randomly flying book and dashed out the door, peeking in once and sticking his tongue out before he slammed the door shut in order to avoid a flying book. Hitomi sighed and pulled on her favorite green tunic and her black pants. She tightened her corset and buckled her sword around her waist, hopping into her boots and slipping on the gauntlet.  
  
boy She grumbled, her face pink. Merle burst into the room with a loud screeching meow.  
  
Lady Hitooomiiiii, she squawked, throwing her arms around Hitomi's waist and squeezing.  
  
Please let go, she choked out, and Merle stepped back, looking ashamed.   
  
The ispanos want to talk to you, she said, her tail swaying about in the air. Not sure why.  
  
Hitomi said with a sigh, following the little cat girl down the halls. Merle bounded energetically into the room where the ispanos were, stopped, turned around and edged behind Hitomi. Van stood next to Cinderella, talking animatedly to her. She laughed at something he said, and Hitomi glared at her, jealousy stirring in her bowels.  
  
said Ispano. The room got quiet, and Hitomi faced the little. Whatever it was. You use half-blood. Ispano cannot guarantee. Hitomi felt the inquisitive glances of the others upon her, and her cheeks turned pink.   
  
Fighters come, continued the Ispano. Ispano no get involved.  
  
Hitomi asked, and then smacked her head.  
  
breathed Allen.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
You will give us Escaflowne, came Dilandau's crazed cackle through the intercom on the crusade, or I will be forced to use extreme measures. And while you're at it, give us the idiot from the mystic moon.  
  
I'm not an idiot! yelled Van, stepping out into the hangar and glaring up at Dilandau. Hitomi smacked herself in the middle of the forehead.  
  
Too easy, she heard Dilandau mutter. He swooped in to take Van, but before he could Hitomi had hopped catlike into the cockpit and zoomed after Van. She caught him and transformed Escaflowne into a dragon. Hitomi began to pull away from the Crusade, but before she could fully launch into the air Merle had hopped up behind her.  
  
You don't think I'm leaving you two alone, do you? she hissed as Van shot her a glare. Hitomi ignored them as they began to bicker and instead concentrated on outrunning the Zaibach guymelefs. It was not easy, especially considering the random bursts of flame from Dilandau's guymelef which were randomly shooting past. But, maybe it was because Hitomi had now merged with Escaflowne, or possibly because she was protecting the two people that she loved most in her world, but she managed to outrun them.  
  
Just barely.  
  
We lost them, I think, said Van.  
  
Of course we lost them, you dope, said Merle. Lady Hitomi can outrun any old guymelef.  
  
Well, yeah, as long as _you're_ not around.  
  
What? Why I oughta....  
  
SHUT UP! Hitomi roared at the top of her lungs. Van and Merle stopped their bickering immediatley.  
  
The next one of you that speaks, I will tie up, gag, and drop off of a very, very high cliff. Am I understood? she asked. Both Van and Merle nodded silently, their eyes wide, in fear of further aggravating the queen by breaking the no-speaking rule. Hitomi brought Escaflowne down to a soft landing in the woods and hopped off, brushing her hair out of her eyes.  
  
Merle, get a camp set up. Van, help me find firewood, Hitomi instructed. Both nodded, again, and Hitomi would have found the situation quite comical had not their plight been quite so serious. Merle began to bustle around the clearing, and Van and Hitomi walked off into the woods in silence, side by side. Once they were out of earshot of Merle, Hitomi sighed.  
  
You can talk now, she said. Van grinned.  
  
Were you really serious about dropping me off a cliff? he asked, stooping to pick up a log. Hitomi snorted, her eyes twinkling.  
  
It depends on whether or not it's a good thing, Hitomi laughed, loading several logs into her arms.  
  
If it's a bad thing, she continued, gently detangling herself from some thorns, then yes. If it's a good thing, then no. Van looked confused.  
  
Wait. If it's a bad thing that you were really going to drop me off a cliff, then you would have done it? And if it was a good thing that you were going to drop me off a cliff then you wouldn't do it? Hitomi only laughed. Aren't we the contrary one, he chuckled. Hitomi sighed and looked at the large pile of firewood she and Van had accumulated. They staggered back into camp, talking and laughing, and dumped it next to the small fire Merle had started in their absence.  
  
That was fast, she said as Hitomi fed a log to the fire. It quickly rose to be a roaring, crackling inferno. The queen was slightly worried that it might attract a certain pyromaniac albino who had an obsession with fire, but shrugged it off and began to roast the insects Merle had caught for eating. Van looked at it in disgust as Hitomi bit in.  
  
Is that a caterpillar? he asked, looking as though he were about to hurl.  
  
They're not half as bad as they look, offered Hitomi, tactfully avoiding answering Van's question. In reply he turned and ran into the woods, and the sound of him puking up his insides both concerned Hitomi and rid the young queen of her appetite.  
  
I think I'm done for now, she said, gagging. Merle smirked at her and stole her skewer, munching happily on the insects. Hitomi shook her head and headed off to a nearby grove to practice with her sword and clear her mind.  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
Hitomi heard Van's soft steps as he walked into the clearing where she was practicing, but she paid him no mind. Instead, she concentrated on her master, Balgus' words.  
  
Clear your mind. There is only you and your enemy. Life and death. Glory or defeat. You must focus your whole upon both of these, for each goes hand in hand and you cannot touch one without altering the other.' Hitomi pressed one hand against the sword blade and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose and then exhaling through her lips. Suddenly, her eyes popped open and she began her dance with the air, her imaginary foe which she was anxious to kill. She parried, struck, ducked, swung, and finally, she dug her blade vertically into the ground. She collapsed upon the hilt, panting, sweat rolling down her cheeks. Van clapped and Hitomi looked up sharply. She had forgotten he was there.  
  
That was really good, he said, giving Hitomi a hand up.  
  
Funny,' Hitomi thought to herself as she grasped Van's hand, a month ago I would have ignored him. I wonder what changed.' Van hauled her to her feet, grinning devilishly. He ran a hand through his messy raven locks, and Hitomi resisted the urge to reach up, grab him around the neck, and....  
  
no,' she thought to herself sternly. He will make you weak.' Having decided upon that, Hitomi tossed her hair out of her eyes and peered up at Van. He's gotten taller.'  
  
So, Van, is there any reason why you came by to irritate me? she asked good humoredly. Van shrugged.  
  
Merle was digging through my stuff earlier, but she's... out, I should say. Hitomi grinned.  
  
What, did you ram her skull into a tree? she asked.  
  
Something along those lines, Van muttered, looking at his feet with pink cheeks. Hitomi laughed.  
  
Good job, She looked up at the mystic moon, and sighed, sitting down next to Escaflowne. I wonder if I'll ever be able to get you back there, she said. Van looked upwards, too, and smiled. Hitomi turned to face him as he drank in the moonlight, and noticed he looked completely at peace.  
  
It's a nice place, he said, but as nice as it is, that doesn't mean I'll want to go back when the time comes. There are people there who love me, he said quietly, but I think that the people here love me more. Up on the mystic moon, all I have is Yukari. But she has her family. She has Amono. She'll get over me. But the people here love me more. Van turned to Hitomi, and looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
My mother died when I was very young. My father remarried, but died in a freak accident a year later. I've been living with my stepmother since then, and she hates me, Van said. Hitomi choked up, sad that someone as nice as Van could live a life so terrible.  
  
What about you? he asked, looking to her through the moonlight.  
  
When I was very young, my father died. My brother, Folken, went to complete the rite of dragon slaying when he was fifteen- I was five. He disappeared, and all that was found of him was an arm. My mother wasted away after that, leaving me all alone, Hitomi said bitterly. I believed that Folken was dead, even though rumors flew through the village. But, he lives. He is the strategos of Zaibach. Van looked sadly at Hitomi as she flopped back on the grass.  
  
It doesn't matter, she said. I will find him and kill him for betraying his country. He destroyed his homeland. I will do everything in my power to see that he is dead.  
  
How can you say that? Van asked angrily. Hitomi sat up. How can you talk about killing your brother? His flesh is your flesh. Your blood is his blood.  
  
You're wrong, Hitomi fumed in response. Merle's ear twitched for a moment, and Hitomi turned to face her as she spoke, choosing to avoid Van's eyes. Folken is not my brother. We are different.  
  
You are the same! cried Van in reply. Your parents are the same. You hearts beat in time!  
  
How can he be my brother, yelled Hitomi, standing up and glaring at Van, when he allowed- no, instructed his homeland to be destroyed? We were raised to learn that death was better than betraying one's country, and yet, he fled. He allowed our mother to die pining for him. He allowed me to grow up lonely. Hitomi's voice softened, and her vision blurred, the image of the sleeping Merle turning to splotches of pink and orange. She was the only one I had through my life. Merle was always there for me. We are of different parenting, but we are sisters. Folken and I are of the same parents, but we are not related. We are mortal enemies, Hitomi's voice began to quake, and I must kill him in order to compensate for the sin I am forced to bear for him. I will make him atone for his crimes... Hitomi's voice and her willpower failed her at that moment, and she burst out in huge, un controllable sobs. She felt a pair of warm arms encircle her, and she cried into Van's shoulder. And so stood the queen of destiny and the seer from the mystic moon, cloaked with the light of the two moons shining down upon them, gently embracing in their sadness. The sounds of the nighttime forest sang a lullaby to Hitomi, and before she knew what had happened she had cried herself dry on Van's shoulder and was fast asleep.  
  
  
.:*:.~.:*:.~.:*:.  
  
**A/N:** _FINALLY! I GOT THE MUCH DREADED CHAPTER 12 FINISHED! So, I'm going to reply to everybody that was patient and gave me a helping hand:_  
  
**Dariel:** Thanks for another insanely long review. Loved, loved, loved the review, really brightened my day. And Cinderella's constant interruption actually does serve a purpose, believe it or not.... (^.^ it keeps the writer from going nuts and overloading all the poor readers with fluff.) ... and don't untie Allen from the tree. I want to see if he can make it into the Guinness book of world records. *cackle* aaaand.... I'M OFFICIALLY UNGROUNDED!! Thanks for the little helpfulness with the pendant and the guymelefs and crap.... really very cheering.  
  
**CinderellaxVan:** Yes, you get to flirt with Van. I'm sorry there wasn't much of the shoes or elmo.... T.T FORGIVE ME!  
  
**Esca chick: **Dude! Crock hunter is funny! I'm glad you liked the chapter, yay. *waves pom poms* hahaha! And as for Cinderella and Allen... they're not getting together just yet... *cackle*  
  
**Feye Morgan:** Yay! I'm glad you think so highly of it, and as for the dumbing down of Sesame Street, I agree. Muahahahaha. Merle doesn't know... yet. *cackle* And thanks for the support in my time of trouble... GO FRED! *pulls out a GO FRED' banner*   
**  
antha:** thanks for your review. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to update as soon as I would have liked, but... things... came up. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. ^.^  
  
**fireangel:** o_O I think you're one of my most gung-ho reviewers. Anyway, I updated. Yay! Now, please, get them away from me... *glares at cheering squad*  
  
**pink cherry blossom:** ^______^ updated. And plenty of ouch and angst and fluff in this chapter. Yay. I hope you liked it!!  
  
**Aeka-himme:** ^.^ hurrah! I'm glad the humor moments helped to cheer you up, LOL! Anywhoo, I'm expecting an update from you too, since your stories all kick sooo much ass And Cinderella? You'll just have to wait and see about her.... *evil Dilandau cackle*  
  
**sakura:** lol! I was too lazy to write in the interrogation -________- myeh. And Van and Hitomi will get together... eventually. And I'm ungrounded, so, yeah. Yay!  
  
**Princess Neptune:** I'm writing. Yay me! I'm glad this was amusing... I do try ^.^;; And thanks for the cheer-up message. It really lifted my spirits!  
  
**naria:** I'm back! I hope this was a pleasant early birthday gift! I'll try and have another chapter out by your day of joy and cake and presents, but I can't make any promises...  
  
**Starzie Chick:** Lol! I'm ungrounded now... new chapters. Hurrah! Rejoice and... such! Yay!   
  
**Rina:** I'm not grounded any more, yay! And I think the punishment was a little harsh, but it's all good! Hurrah! And, as you can see, I'm still alive.... *stands up and shows off emaciated figure and tattered clothes* er... at least... mostly. *cackle* heh heh. And it's okay you didn't review the first chapter. No big! And it would completely rock if we went to Gaia... let's go hijack a shuttle from NASA and go!! And thank you for all the lovely reviews! Pillow fights are fun! And I'm glad you liked the baseball and forks thing... a little something my psycho friends and I have been thinking of trying out. LOL! It's also nice to know you enjoyed the birthday party and the clown suit and such. ^_^ burning things is fun. And tell your aunt I send my congrats. Is it a boy or a girl (or both? o_O;;)  
  
**youjibaracuda:** hey, all that matters is that I actually managed to get this chapter out 6 days before expected. Yay! It's all good. And chicken soup can cure anything! Have faith in the chickens, and.... such.  
  
**maboroshitsuki:** thanks for the incredibly long reviews! And I'm sorry that the first two chapters got switched around.... *glares at FF.net* that actually wasn't supposed to happen. I'm glad you liked my twisted Van moments,' as they were very fun to write but maybe not that fun to read.... . I dunno. And, yeah. Van and Yukari are pretty funny... my friends and I do that sometime but I always worm my way out of punishment (hee hee!)  
  
  
**FINAL A/N:** _Sorry people, no Van update. But I finally got done replying to all those reviews.... It took me forever! But I love hearing from you people, so keep the reviews coming! Also.... I'M UN GROUNDED! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I managed to bring my algebra average up by 26 points! Yes! I'm only 3 points away from a *does a little dance* yess! Go me, go me, go me.... And I'll try to have another chapter out by the 20th but I'll probably be really busy for a while. My cousin's birthday is tomorrow, on the 18th I have dress rehearsal all day for a recital I'm having on the 20th, my dad's birthday is the 19th, and my best friend's birthday is... oh, guess what day... the 20th! So, I've got a lot of work, but it's okay, since next month is april. AND MY BIRTHDAY IS IN APRIL!! *throws a party* and, lessee, what else? hmmmmm.... oh, yeah. After april comes May, the last month of school, and on June 1 I go to disney world with the school orchestra to perform at epcot! Yess! But I have tryouts in 2 weeks and I'm kinda nervous... oh well.... Anyway, review! I'll write if you review, okay? .... please?_


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